Share this article
Peter Thiel, Bitmain Co-Founder Invest in EOS Developer Block.one
In a fresh round of funding, Block.one has added to its line-up of major investors PayPal co-founder Peter Thiel and bitcoin mining giant Bitmain.
Updated Sep 13, 2021, 8:10 a.m. Published Jul 16, 2018, 4:10 p.m.
Make us preferred on Google
EOS protocol maker Block.one has received new backing from a number of big-name investors, including PayPal co-founder Peter Thiel.
In a fresh round of funding – the amount of which was not disclosed – Block.one, the company behind what has now become the fifth-most valuable cryptocurrency by market capitalization, has added Thiel, Bitmain and hedge fund billionaires Louis Bacon and Alan Howard to its list of investors.
STORY CONTINUES BELOW
Don't miss another story.Subscribe to the Crypto Daybook Americas Newsletter today. See all newsletters
CEO Brendan Blumer said the firm is "excited to welcome key strategic investors aligned with our values of creating a more secure and connected world."
"The EOSIO protocol is a great example of blockchain innovation. Its performance and scalability can meet the needs of demanding consumer applications and will pave the way for mainstream blockchain adoption," Wu said in a statement.
While it's not clear how the funds will enhance the roughly $4 billion raised over the course of a year-long token sale – EOS formally launched in June – it undoubtedly adds some institutional heft to Block.one's ranks. Some of the other investors in the company include Galaxy Digital's Mike Novogratz and the founder of Apeiron Investment Group, Christian Angermayer.
It's been a bumpy ride since launch, with the project encountering governance-related headwinds and criticisms around an arbitration mechanism that is aimed at resolving disputes between parties on the network.
Last week, CoinDesk reported that Block.one is now planning to play a more active role in the network than what was perhaps originally conceived.
Peter Thiel image via CreativeCommons
More For You
KuCoin captured a record share of centralised exchange volume in 2025, with more than $1.25tn traded as its volumes grew faster than the wider crypto market.
What to know:
- KuCoin recorded over $1.25 trillion in total trading volume in 2025, equivalent to an average of roughly $114 billion per month, marking its strongest year on record.
- This performance translated into an all-time high share of centralised exchange volume, as KuCoin’s activity expanded faster than aggregate CEX volumes, which slowed during periods of lower market volatility.
- Spot and derivatives volumes were evenly split, each exceeding $500 billion for the year, signalling broad-based usage rather than reliance on a single product line.
- Altcoins accounted for the majority of trading activity, reinforcing KuCoin’s role as a primary liquidity venue beyond BTC and ETH at a time when majors saw more muted turnover.
- Even as overall crypto volumes softened mid-year, KuCoin maintained elevated baseline activity, indicating structurally higher user engagement rather than short-lived volume spikes.
More For You
Bitcoin and ether volatility trading gets easier with Polymarket's new contracts
Polymarket has launched new prediction markets tied to Volmex's bitcoin and ether 30-day implied volatility indices.
What to know:
- Polymarket has launched new prediction markets tied to Volmex's bitcoin and ether 30-day implied volatility indices, allowing users to bet on how high volatility will get in 2026.
- The contracts pay out if volatility indices reach or exceed a preset level by Dec. 31, 2026, letting traders wager on the intensity of price swings rather than market direction.
- Early trading implies roughly a one-in-three chance that bitcoin and ether volatility will nearly double from current levels.
Top Stories
