Gate News message, April 27 — Populus, a blockchain research firm, has secured Series A funding from Pantera Capital and Founder Ventures, with the company valued at approximately 30 billion Korean won (roughly $23 million). The investment marks the company’s three-year anniversary, as it was founded on May 3, 2023.
Pantera Capital led the funding round as the primary investor, with Founder Ventures participating as a co-investor. Pantera, established in 2003, is a global digital asset investment firm managing over 5 trillion Korean won in assets and was the first institutionally registered digital asset fund in the United States. Founder Ventures, backed by the Abu Dhabi sovereign wealth fund, has expanded its Web3 and fintech investments across emerging markets including the Middle East.
Populus plans to leverage this investment to expand beyond institutional blockchain research into infrastructure and solution services. The company aims to address three structural challenges: bridging Asia and global markets, closing gaps between traditional finance and Web3, and delivering practical solutions beyond research. The firm will reorganize its research offerings into specialized segments covering institutional research, investment, technology, and Asian markets, while also expanding staking infrastructure services and extending consulting to include full project execution.