A16z Leads $9M Funding Round for Solana's Phantom Wallet to Go Multi-Chain

The funding will be used to expand the Phantom team, develop new features and expand to other blockchains, said the firm.

AccessTimeIconJul 14, 2021 at 1:01 p.m. UTC
Updated May 9, 2023 at 3:21 a.m. UTC
10 Years of Decentralizing the Future
May 29-31, 2024 - Austin, TexasThe biggest and most established global hub for everything crypto, blockchain and Web3.Register Now

Phantom, a digital wallet that's on the Solana blockchain network, has raised $9 million in a Series A funding found led by Andreessen Horowitz (a16z).

Other participating investors included Variant Fund, Jump Capital, DeFi Alliance, the Solana Foundation and Coinbase investor Garry Tan.

  • What's Stopping Congress From Passing Crypto Regulation?
    00:56
    What's Stopping Congress From Passing Crypto Regulation?
  • Sen. Lummis Addresses Algorithmic Stablecoin Ban in New Bill
    19:02
    Sen. Lummis Addresses Algorithmic Stablecoin Ban in New Bill
  • Why Bitcoin May Fall to $52K
    14:59
    Why Bitcoin May Fall to $52K
  • JPMorgan Expects Bitcoin to Drop After Halving; New Zealand Starts Digital Cash Consultation
    02:15
    JPMorgan Expects Bitcoin to Drop After Halving; New Zealand Starts Digital Cash Consultation
  • The funding will be used to expand the Phantom staff, develop new platform features and expand to other blockchains, the firm said. 

    Phantom was founded by software engineers Brandon Millman and Francesco Agosti and product designer Chris Kalani. Since releasing its product in April for testing, Phantom has added 40,000 users and secured $500,000 in grants from Serum and Solana.

    “With the world moving into a multi-chain future, the strong interest from the participants in our beta group indicates that our team has designed a DeFi wallet for the masses, one that’s in a unique position to provide value to users unlike any other related product on the market,” Millman said.

    Most recently Phantom integrated with FTX Pay, which allows users to transfer SOL, USDC and USDT directly from FTX.

    Other notable investors in the funding round included Compound Finance, crypto derivatives trading platform dYdX, music streaming platform Audius, bitcoin rewards app Lolli and the Ethereum Foundation.

    Disclosure

    Please note that our privacy policy, terms of use, cookies, and do not sell my personal information has been updated.

    CoinDesk is an award-winning media outlet that covers the cryptocurrency industry. Its journalists abide by a strict set of editorial policies. In November 2023, CoinDesk was acquired by the Bullish group, owner of Bullish, a regulated, digital assets exchange. The Bullish group is majority-owned by Block.one; both companies have interests in a variety of blockchain and digital asset businesses and significant holdings of digital assets, including bitcoin. CoinDesk operates as an independent subsidiary with an editorial committee to protect journalistic independence. CoinDesk employees, including journalists, may receive options in the Bullish group as part of their compensation.


    Learn more about Consensus 2024, CoinDesk's longest-running and most influential event that brings together all sides of crypto, blockchain and Web3. Head to consensus.coindesk.com to register and buy your pass now.