Investment firm VanEck launched a $30 million early-stage fund focused on fintech, digital assets and AI startups.

What Happened: The firm announced on Wednesday that the fund, VanEck Ventures, will target pre-seed and seed-stage companies.

VanEck Ventures will be led by Wyatt Lonergan and Juan Lopez, both experienced investors previously heading Circle Ventures, the venture arm of (CRYPTO: USDC) issuer Circle.

Their expertise, combined with VanEck’s reputation in asset management, positions the fund as a valuable partner for innovative startups.

The fund’s investment strategy focuses on category-defining founders leveraging emerging technologies like blockchain and large language models. Key investment themes include tokenized assets, internet-native financial marketplaces and next-generation payment systems built on stablecoins and tokenized capital markets.

Wyatt Lonergan, General Partner at VanEck Ventures, highlighted three core inflection points shaping their investment thesis: “stablecoins emerging as an open-source banking layer, the commoditization of blockspace and AI breakthroughs.” He added that the convergence of these factors is creating “unprecedented opportunities for globally connected, user-centric financial experiences.”

The fund plans to make 25 to 35 investments, with check sizes ranging from $500,000 to $1 million. It has already made four undisclosed investments. Juan Lopez, also a general partner, noted the exciting timing for blockchain utility, saying, “As several on-chain utilities, focused on programmability and compliance, come to market with growing regulatory clarity, it’s never been a more exciting time to build.”

What's Next: VanEck CEO Jan Van Eck will speak at the upcoming Benzinga Future of Digital Assets event on Nov. 19.

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