Share this article
Zed Run Developer VHS Raises $20M in Funding Round Led by TCG
The Australian company, founded in 2018, has developed a blockchain-based, virtual horse-racing game called Zed Run.
Updated Sep 14, 2021, 1:28 p.m. Published Jul 21, 2021, 12:32 p.m.
Make us preferred on Google
Virtually Human Studio (VHS) has raised $20 million in a Series A funding round that was led by TCG (The Chernin Group) and included venture capital firms Andreessen Horowitz and Red Beard Ventures.
STORY CONTINUES BELOW
Don't miss another story.Subscribe to the Crypto Daybook Americas Newsletter today. See all newsletters
- The Australian company, founded in 2018, has developed a blockchain-based, virtual horse-racing game called Zed Run.
- It will use the funds to expand its project and engineering teams.
- Game participants can buy non-fungible tokens (NFTs) representing racehorses with differing racing and breeding characteristics.
- The company has sold more than $30 million in racehorse NFTs since the product was launched in 2019.
- VHS plans to develop the game so that "players can work in professions such as stable owner, race track owner, breeder, accessory designer and more," CEO Chris Laurent said.
See also: Polygon Launches Unit to Grow Blockchain Gaming, NFTs
UPDATE (JULY 21, 12:43 UTC) Adds game description, development plans.
More For You
Pudgy Penguins is building a multi-vertical consumer IP platform — combining phygital products, games, NFTs and PENGU to monetize culture at scale.
What to know:
Pudgy Penguins is emerging as one of the strongest NFT-native brands of this cycle, shifting from speculative “digital luxury goods” into a multi-vertical consumer IP platform. Its strategy is to acquire users through mainstream channels first; toys, retail partnerships and viral media, then onboard them into Web3 through games, NFTs and the PENGU token.
The ecosystem now spans phygital products (> $13M retail sales and >1M units sold), games and experiences (Pudgy Party surpassed 500k downloads in two weeks), and a widely distributed token (airdropped to 6M+ wallets). While the market is currently pricing Pudgy at a premium relative to traditional IP peers, sustained success depends on execution across retail expansion, gaming adoption and deeper token utility.
More For You
Bitcoin trader warns of downside as gold rally continues to pull focus from BTC
Crypto prices stabilized after an early-week dip, but bitcoin continued to trail gold and silver as macro trades dominated after the Fed’s policy hold.
What to know:
- Bitcoin hovered around $88,000 after the Federal Reserve left interest rates unchanged, with trading subdued despite modest gains in ether, solana, BNB and dogecoin.
- A sharp rebound in the U.S. dollar and continued strength in commodities, especially record-high gold and elevated silver and copper, have overshadowed crypto markets.
- Analysts say bitcoin is trading more like a high-beta risk asset than a macro hedge, stuck in a bearish consolidation about 30 percent below its October peak and struggling to break above key resistance near $89,000.
Top Stories
