Mantra Blockchain Network has launched a $108,888,888 Ecosystem Fund aimed at accelerating the growth of startups focused on real-world asset (RWA) tokenization and distributed finance (DEFI) amid growing demand for stable asset-backed digital products.
According to an April 7 announcement shared with CointeLegraph, Layer-1 (L1) blockchain built for tokenized RWA blockchain launched the Mantra Ecosystem Fund (MEF) to accelerate the adoption of projects and startups building on the network.
Mantra said it will raise investment opportunities through its partner network and deploy capital over the next four years among “high potential blockchain projects” around the world. Fund supporters include a wide range of institutional partners, including Laser Digital, Shoruk, Brevan Howard Digital, Valor Capital, 3-Point Capital and Amber Group.
Related: 0G Foundation launches $88 million fund for AI-powered Defi agents
Mantra CEO John Patrick Marin said the fund “will operate an open arm policy that welcomes projects at all stages of development around the world, with a special focus on RWA and Defi.” Mullin told Cointelegraph:
“MEF’s paper is about investing in top-tier teams building RWA and Defi applications and building free infrastructure, which directly and indirectly support the broader ecosystem.”
Mantra aims to become the infrastructure layer that underlies tokenized asset problems around the world, Mullin said.
Source: Mantra
The fund launch comes a month after Mantra became the first Defi platform to acquire a Virtual Asset Service Provider (VASP) license under Dubai’s Virtual Asset Regulator (VARA).
Related: Experts say we have stablecoin rules that we need before crypto tax reform
Investor demand is rising RWA
The timing of the fund launch is in line with growing institutional interest in RWA. This is seen as a hedge against crypto market volatility and broader economic uncertainty.
Global fears and uncertainty about President Donald Trump’s tariff president have influenced investors’ sentiment across the market.
Despite a broader market slump caused by US tariff-related concerns, the value of tokenized RWA has recently skyrocketed to record highs. According to data from RWA.xyz, RWA’s total market capitalization reached more than $19.6 billion as of early April, up from $17 billion in early February.
RWA Global Market Dashboard. Source: rwa.xyz
Industry watchers previously told CointeLegraph that Bitcoin’s upside down momentum could constantly drive RWA to $50 billion by the end of 2025.
BlackRock, the world’s largest asset manager, has also shown support for the RWA space.
BlackRock Buidl Capital unfolded by the chain. Source: Token Terminal, Leon Wademan
BlackRock’s USD Institutional Digital Liquitidity Fund (BUIDL) has more than tripled from $615 million to $1.87 billion in the three weeks ended March 26th.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tyo993t72ms
Magazine: Crypto’s financial nihilism is over – it’s time to dream big again
