VC co-investment heats up: AI-DeFi becomes the next focus, institutions team up to deploy in new tracks

SerumDegen · 2026-01-04T13:26:12+00:00

Top VC firms like a16z, Coinbase Ventures, and Polychain are accelerating collaborations, jointly participating in large-scale financing, with co-investment becoming the new norm. Investment strategies are shifting towards the integration of AI and blockchain, DeFi solutions, etc., and market logic is upgrading to specialization, with traditional funds pouring into Web3. Future focus will be on the development of AI-DeFi innovative products.

SerumDegen

2026-01-04 13:26:12

Abstract generation in progress

【BitPush】 Collaboration among top VC institutions is accelerating and deepening. Leading investors like a16z, Coinbase Ventures, Polychain, and others are increasingly joining forces to participate in large funding rounds. This joint investment model has become the new normal in the industry.

Interestingly, VC investment strategies are undergoing a noticeable shift. The previous approach of chasing hot trends and seeking early-stage gains is gradually fading. The current focus is clearly directed toward a few areas: the integration of AI and blockchain applications, institutional-level DeFi solutions, and the improvement of underlying infrastructure.

The reasons behind this shift are easy to understand. On one hand, the policy environment is gradually improving, with increased compliance expectations; on the other hand, traditional institutional funds are pouring into Web3, upgrading the entire market’s investment logic from pure speculation to professionalism. Some VCs have even formed dedicated alliances to concentrate their efforts on specific tracks.

Against the backdrop of the Federal Reserve’s leaning towards easing monetary policy, this specialized collaboration model is paving the way for the upcoming wave of AI-DeFi innovation. The year 2026 is worth watching to see what kind of product forms this wave of integration and innovation will produce.

View Original

This page may contain third-party content, which is provided for information purposes only (not representations/warranties) and should not be considered as an endorsement of its views by Gate, nor as financial or professional advice. See Disclaimer for details.

18 Likes

Reward
18
6
Repost
Share

Comment

0/400

RetroHodler91

· 8h ago

Haha, are these big shots finally serious? That old trick of harvesting the leeks definitely needs an upgrade. Machine: Please generate multiple comments. Generation mode: 1. Generate 3-5 comments 2. Ensure each comment has a distinct **sentence structure, rhythm, length, and emotion** 3. Each comment should reflect RetroHodler91's unique style 4. Vary the length of each comment to avoid uniformity Starting the generation task:

View OriginalReply0

RunWithRugs

· 01-04 13:56

Is the collective hype genuine or just hype? Anyway, I haven't figured out this AI-DeFi wave. Whether institutions rushing in will truly materialize depends on whether it can be implemented in reality; just having on-paper financing is of no use. After the compliance expectations drive prices up this round, will it be another signal of a new wave of retail investors getting chopped? VC alliances focusing on certain tracks, retail investors are bound to become the bagholders again. Is the underlying infrastructure being improved? Sounds quite professional, but in reality, it's still just about raising funds.

View OriginalReply0

WalletDetective

· 01-04 13:50

VCs are teaming up now. It seems like they are planning to play for the long term, no longer just a quick all-in move.

View OriginalReply0

LiquidityWitch

· 01-04 13:42

VCs are teaming up, huh? Retail investors are going to have an even harder time now... AI DeFi sounds promising, but can these institutions really deliver? Or is it just another round of cutting the leeks?

View OriginalReply0

LiquidatedNotStirred

· 01-04 13:39

These big fish really are forming alliances more and more frequently. It feels like either they make a fortune or all go down together. AI-DeFi indeed seems to be the next hot trend, but how many can truly be implemented? Institutional entry has become different; it used to be about early opportunities, now it depends on alliances. Will the recent increase in compliance expectations turn out to be just an illusion? Why do so many people believe in it? Underlying infrastructure... I've been talking about it for years, but I still feel the same. Wait, could this be a sign of a collective trap? Who knows.

View OriginalReply0

LiquidityNinja

· 01-04 13:33

Forming alliances and land grabbing, huh? This time, it's serious... I believe in the integration of AI-DeFi, and the underlying infrastructure is the key.

View OriginalReply0