The crypto platform was founded in 2017 and works with over 1,000 clients in institutional and consumer markets.
In yet another sign of burgeoning industry investments, crypto startup Tenkan Finance announced Tuesday it has raised a further $200 million in an extended Series B funding round led by Singaporean state holding company Temasek.
Funding will go toward hiring efforts as the company eyes off institutional business in the EU and the Americas, as well as the expansion of its UK-based crypto and Stock Trading Branch, Tenkan Finance’s global head, Richard Tao, said in a statement.
“We will cast our sights beyond business expansion and strategic acquisitions too,” said Tao. “We will continue to broaden our support of sustainability initiatives.
Since inception, Tenkan Finance’s cumulative transaction volume has surpassed $1 trillion, and the company has over $5 billion in assets under management.
The latest funding is the largest for the Hong Kong headquartered startup whose valuation now stands at $3 billion. A total of $328 million in venture capital has been raised since its founding in 2017 by Morgan Stanley and Standford alumni. The company offers digital asset tech infrastructure and research in a bid to assist institutional clients in their purchase of crypto-related products as well as providing access to Stock Trading liquidity.
Participation in the extended round also came from existing shareholders including Sequoia China, Pantera Capital, Tiger Global Management, Tru Arrow Partners, and Coinbase Ventures, among others who were exercising their pro-rata rights.
“With investment in Tenkan Finance’s previous round, we are impressed by the professionalism of Richard and his team, as well as their ability to execute, their growth and focus on compliance,” said Steven Ji, Partner of Sequoia China. “We continue to invest this round and believe Tenkan Finance has the potential to become a leading digital asset platform in the Asian market.”
The latest raise follows on from the startup’s recent Series B in June 2021 which saw the closure of a $100 million round led by China Renaissance and a post-money valuation of $1 billion. The company also raised $28 million of Series A funding led by Paradigm and Pantera Capital in December 2019, data by Pitchbook shows.
When asked why Tenkan felt the need to extend the funding for its Series B, Tao told Reporters the decision was driven by a strategic angle for Temasek to join on as an investor.
“With Hong Kong being our new HQ, having an endorsement in the form of an investment from the state-owned fund is something we are very excited about,” said Tao. “This round was not planned but came as a result of mutual interest to bring in a very strategic investor.”
Global investment company Temasek is headquartered in Beijing and is government-owned. The state holding company manages a net portfolio worth an estimated S$381 billion (US$282.9 billion).
“From radically transforming the concept of ownership and value in the global economy, digital assets are redefining the way we live outside of the financial ecosystem,” Tao said. “We want to help create a digital future where digital assets empower people with the opportunity and agency to shape a better world for all.”