Privacy emerges as crypto’s next 'killer app,' with Arc, Canton and Tempo topping $1 billion in funding
New fundraising rounds for three institution-focused blockchains show how regulation, privacy and corporate competition are reshaping crypto infrastructure, according to Bitwise CIO Matt Hougan.
By Will Canny, AI Boost|Edited by Stephen AlpherUpdated May 12, 2026, 4:37 p.m. Published May 12, 2026, 4:33 p.m. 2 min readMake preferred on
What to know:
- Arc, Canton and Tempo have collectively raised more than $1 billion at valuations topping $10 billion.
- Bitwise CIO Matt Hougan said privacy features could become essential as crypto moves into mainstream finance.
- The fundraising boom highlights how U.S. stablecoin legislation is accelerating institutional investment in blockchain infrastructure.
Arc, Canton and Tempo, three blockchains focused on stablecoins and tokenization, have raised more than $1 billion combined, highlighting rising institutional demand for privacy-focused crypto infrastructure, according to Bitwise CIO Matt Hougan.
Stablecoin issuer Circle (CRCL) recently raised $222 million at a $3 billion valuation for Arc, while Digital Asset is reportedly raising $300 million at a $2 billion valuation for the Canton blockchain. Tempo, backed by Stripe and Paradigm, previously raised $500 million at a $5 billion valuation.
In a Tuesday blog post, Hougan said the fundraising wave reflects three trends: clearer U.S. regulation, growing demand for private blockchain transactions and rising competition from corporate-backed crypto networks.
Blockchains have long faced a trade-off between speed, cost and security: faster, cheaper networks often make compromises on decentralization or resilience, while more secure chains can be slower and more expensive to use.
That tension is especially important for stablecoins and tokenization, where institutions need transactions to be fast and affordable, but also private, compliant and secure enough for real-world finance.
Hougan said privacy could emerge as a “killer app” for crypto as businesses and consumers become less comfortable with fully transparent blockchains like Ethereum and Solana.
“If you're a business broadcasting every trade before it's complete, or a worker whose paycheck is visible to anyone with a block explorer, that transparency is a bug, not a feature,” Hougan said.
He added that the fundraising boom also reflects growing confidence after Congress passed the Genius Act in 2025, giving institutions a clearer regulatory footing to invest in crypto infrastructure.
Read more: 'Bitcoin transactions can be monitored’: Ray Dalio explains why central banks won’t touch BTC
PrivacyCircleStripeCantonBitwiseAI Disclaimer: Parts of this article were generated with the assistance from AI tools and reviewed by our editorial team to ensure accuracy and adherence to our standards. For more information, see CoinDesk's full AI Policy.More For You
Stablecoin yield infrastructure project raises $13.5M in round led by Sky Ecosystem
By Francisco Rodrigues|Edited by Stephen Alpher26 minutes ago
Osero is coming with three products: Earn, App, and Foundry.
What to know:
- Stablewatch-incubated Osero raised $13.5M for stablecoin yield infrastructure, led by Sky Ecosystem and co-led by Plasma.
- Osero addresses the issue that most of the $300B+ stablecoin yield goes to issuers, leaving holders and fintech firms with limited direct returns.
- Osero is coming with three products: Earn (embeddable Sky Savings Rate),...
Stablecoin yield infrastructure project raises $13.5M in round led by Sky Ecosystem
26 minutes ago
U.S. CFTC in talks with every major pro sports league on policing prediction markets
1 hour ago
Bitcoin’s bull-bear cycle indicator turns green for first time since March 2023
1 hour ago
Binance's chief marketing officer Rachel Conlan to leave the exchange
1 hour ago
Live markets: What's next as bitcoin holds $80,000, while stocks sink, yields rise on ugly inflation print
1 hour ago
Spot XRP ETFs attract biggest inflows since January
2 hours agoTop Stories
Elliptic raises $120 million backed by Nasdaq, Deutsche Bank as AI reshapes crypto security
3 hours ago
'Bitcoin transactions can be monitored’: Ray Dalio explains why central banks won’t touch BTC
11 hours ago
Clarity Act, in the flesh, unveiled by U.S. Senate Banking Committee before hearing
12 hours ago
Bitcoin will 'explode' past $90,000 and hit $126,000, Arthur Hayes says
5 hours ago
'A big nothing burger': A Q&A with Strategy's Michael Saylor on selling bitcoin
20 hours ago
