Share this article
Colu Mixes VC and ICO for $14.5 Million Fundraise
Blockchain startup Colu has secured $14.5 million in new funding from a major business group in Israel.
By Stan Higgins
Updated Sep 13, 2021, 7:16 a.m. Published Dec 13, 2017, 5:00 p.m.
Blockchain startup Colu has secured $14.5 million in new funding from a major business group in Israel.
STORY CONTINUES BELOW
Non perderti un'altra storia.Iscriviti alla Newsletter Crypto Daybook Americas oggi. Vedi tutte le newsletter
contributed the funds both toward the company itself as well as the token presale for its Colu Local Network (CLN), which it unveiled last month.
The company – Israel's largest holding company – is involved in the finance and insurance sectors, and the partnership between the two firms will focus in part on retail payments. In statements, IDB indicated that the results of its work with Colu could wind up in products and services offered through its various business holdings.
Sholem Lapidot, CEO of IDB Development Corporation, said of the deal:
"IDB believes that Colu will help to support the growth of blockchain technology as a [real-life] payment method. We strongly believe that crypto technology will play a key role in the future form of payment for goods and services and we are thrilled to be rolling out plans for increased innovation in our diverse industries, with the help of Colu."
The CLN token, according to Colu, is intended to be used as a basis for local transacting, while at the same time serving as a kind of reward for retail payments.
"Partnering with IDB group is a vote of confidence in cryptocurrencies and the role they could play in the retail market," Amos Meiri, Colu co-founder and CEO, said in a statement.
That work on localized currencies was highlighted last year when Colu raised $9.6 million from a group of investors that included Aleph, Spark Capital, Digital Currency Group and former Thomson Reuters CEO Tom Glocer.
Disclaimer: CoinDesk is a subsidiary of Digital Currency Group, which has an ownership stake in Colu.
Funding image via Shutterstock
Di più per voi
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.
Cosa sapere:
- 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.
Di più per voi
Bitcoin pushes above $90,000 as traders eye change in pattern
Particularly hard-hit in 2025's final sessions, crypto-related stocks are bouncing in this year's first trading day.
Cosa sapere:
- Bitcoin rose above $90,000 during U.S. trading hours on Friday.
- It's a notable change in trend, as crypto prices late in 2025 were typically on the defensive while American stocks traded.
- Strategy, Coinbase, Hut 8 and Galaxy Digital were among the crypto-related stocks seeing strong gains.
Top Stories
