In a significant development for the world of decentralized finance, Etherealize, a company dedicated to bridging the gap between institutional finance and Ethereum, has successfully closed a $40 million funding round. This round was spearheaded by Electric Capital and Paradigm, marking a critical infusion of capital that will enable Etherealize to enhance its offerings and infrastructure tailored for institutional clients.
This funding announcement comes in the wake of a grant received from Vitalik Buterin, co-founder of Ethereum, and the Ethereum Foundation in 2024, aimed at kickstarting the company’s operations. Etherealize has positioned itself as a leader in developing cutting-edge settlement and privacy infrastructure designed specifically for tokenized assets, an area of increasing interest among financial institutions.
Danny Ryan, co-founder and President of Etherealize, expressed optimism about the future: “Over the past decade, Ethereum has gone from an experiment to the world’s most battle-tested, open financial network. This raise kicks off the ‘Institutional Merge’—upgrading institutional finance to modern, safer, globally accessible rails.” The vision to modernize the financial landscape includes several ambitious projects, such as the creation of zero-knowledge privacy infrastructure, an optimized settlement engine for tokenization workflows, and a suite of applications aimed at enhancing liquidity in tokenized fixed income markets.
Etherealize’s dual priorities are focused on educating the financial sector about Ethereum’s capabilities and reworking the traditional frameworks of Wall Street to incorporate Ethereum’s innovative features. The company was co-founded by a team of seasoned professionals, including Vivek Raman, a former Wall Street trader, and Danny Ryan, a prominent figure in the Ethereum Foundation. They are joined by Ethereum veterans Grant Hummer and Zach Obront, all of whom share a commitment to transforming the legacy financial system.
Speaking on the company’s trajectory, Raman stated, “After hundreds of conversations with banks and institutions, one thing is clear: the future of finance will be built on Ethereum. This funding allows us to accelerate the development of institutional-grade infrastructure that rewires Wall Street with Ethereum as its invisible backbone.”
Etherealize’s contributions to the industry have been substantial. Since its inception in January 2025, the company has engaged with top banking institutions and asset managers, shaping discussions around product development and institutional education on Ethereum. Additionally, Etherealize has played a pivotal role in bringing new tokenized assets to the Ethereum network while supporting the scalability of Layer-2 blockchains.
The organization’s impact extends beyond market engagement; it has influenced policy-making by collaborating with governmental entities such as the SEC and Treasury. Etherealize has taken part in drafting memos that address digital asset regulations and has testified before key congressional committees.
With an impressive roster of experts, including former professionals from Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan, and other major financial institutions, Etherealize aims to seamlessly intertwine Wall Street and decentralized finance through its Ethereum-based solutions.
Etherealize is set on a mission to make the global financial system faster, safer, and more adaptable to the requirements of the 21st century, strengthening Ethereum’s position as a leading platform for financial infrastructure and innovation.
