Ego Death Capital Raises $100 Million to Back Bitcoin-Only Startups

July 8, 2025 – Venture capital firm Ego Death Capital has secured $100 million in funding to invest exclusively in Bitcoin-focused startups, signaling rising institutional interest in Bitcoin-centric innovation amid a broader recovery in crypto venture capital markets.

The fund, raised primarily from family offices and private investors, will target early-stage companies generating $1 million to $3 million in annual revenue, according to founding partner Nico Leshuga.

A Bitcoin-Only Investment Focus

Leshuga emphasized the firm’s Bitcoin-maximalist stance, stating: “We see Bitcoin as the only decentralized and secure base to build on.” Ego Death Capital has no plans to back startups in altcoins, DeFi, or hardware sectors such as mining or wallet manufacturing.

So far, the fund has invested in:

• Roxcom: A Bitcoin-only exchange.
• Relai: A Bitcoin savings platform.
• Breez: A payments company built on Bitcoin’s Lightning Network.

The renewed focus on Bitcoin comes amid strong demand for digital assets, with Bitcoin spot ETFs outperforming traditional markets and more corporations adding Bitcoin to their balance sheets.

Crypto VC Market Sees Sharp Q2 Recovery

The broader crypto venture capital market is also showing signs of resilience. VC funding in the crypto and blockchain sector reached $10.03 billion in Q2 2025, the strongest quarter since Q1 2022. Notable raises included:

• Strive Fund: $750 million led by Vivek Ramaswamy.
• 21 Capital: $585 million to acquire Bitcoin and related assets.

June alone accounted for more than $5 billion of the total raised, reflecting renewed confidence in the digital asset industry.

What Has Happened So Far

• Q2 2025: Crypto VC funding rebounds to $10B.
• July 2025: Ego Death Capital announces $100M Bitcoin-only fund.
• Roxcom, Relai, Breez: Early beneficiaries of Ego Death’s Bitcoin focus.
• Bitcoin treasuries grow: More companies adopt Bitcoin on their balance sheets.

Extra Insight: Bitcoin Startup Funding by the Numbers

• Bitcoin VC Deals: In 2024, Bitcoin-focused startups accounted for approximately 7% of all crypto venture deals, according to PitchBook data. This number has risen to 15% in the first half of 2025, signaling growing investor appetite for Bitcoin-native applications.
• Corporate Bitcoin Holdings: As of July 2025, over 75 public and private companies hold Bitcoin on their balance sheets, totaling more than 1.3 million BTC, according to BitcoinTreasuries.net.
• Lightning Network Growth: The Bitcoin Lightning Network, a key area for startups like Breez, has seen channel capacity grow over 40% year-over-year, reaching an all-time high of 7,000 BTC in active capacity.