Southeast Asia's crypto funding rebounds to $680 million as investors focus on mature firms

Investment rebounds but deals shrink

Blockchain companies in Southeast Asia have raised $680 million so far in 2026, more than double the $319 million raised throughout all of 2025. The recovery follows a slump in the previous year, but the market is changing shape.

Funding rounds have dropped significantly. Only 25 rounds were completed this year compared with 46 in 2025. In 2022, the region saw 206 rounds. This points to a market where capital is concentrating in fewer, larger deals rather than spreading across many early-stage companies.

Financial services lead the charge

Crypto financial services accounts for most of the current funding. These are businesses that provide banking-like services for digital assets, such as trading and lending. The sector attracted $498 million across 19 rounds, up 48.4% from the previous year.

A single $400 million investment into Crypto.com made up nearly 60% of the total money raised this year. The Series D round valued the exchange at $20 billion. Other sectors received far less, with tokenization platforms raising $114 million and decentralized application development platforms raising $77 million.

Singapore remains the dominant hub

Singapore continues to control the vast majority of blockchain investment in the region. It holds 82.5% of the $6.2 billion raised by Southeast Asian blockchain companies since tracking began. The city-state is also home to 2,285 tracked companies.

The next largest hub is Jakarta, Indonesia, which accounts for only 3% of total funding. This highlights how heavily the market relies on a single location for capital and activity.

Early-stage funding remains tight

The path from idea to mature company is difficult. Out of 3,957 blockchain companies tracked in the region, 1,323 have received equity funding. However, only 167 have reached Series A or later stages. Just 50 have reached Series B, and only four have secured Series D funding or beyond.

There are currently six blockchain unicorns in Southeast Asia—companies valued at over $1 billion. These include Sygnum, Bitkub, Sky Mavis, and Amber Group. However, exits through public listings are rare, with only four IPOs recorded compared with 43 acquisitions.

Why this matters for the industry

The data suggests the regional crypto market is maturing. Investors appear to be moving away from speculative early-stage ventures and toward established financial services with proven business models. While the total capital raised has recovered from 2025 lows, it remains well below the $2.2 billion peak seen in 2022.

• CoinDesk