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a16z Bets on Encrypted Blockchain Startup

The new startup Seismic aims to launch its chain with base layer encryption.

Mar 6, 2025 • 1 min read

Venture firm a16z crypto has led a $7 million funding round for Seismic, a blockchain developer focusing on app-level encryption. The round included notable participants like Polychain, 1kx, dao5, and NGC. Seismic aims to enhance onchain privacy for financial and social applications by providing a foundational layer for app-level encryption.

What’s the Scoop?

Funding Round Initiated: a16z crypto led a $7 million funding round for Seismic, focusing on encrypted blockchain technology.
Strategic Partners: Participants included Polychain, 1kx, dao5, and NGC, supporting Seismic's vision for enhanced onchain privacy.
Innovative Approach: Seismic's blockchain focuses on app-level encryption to provide new use cases for financial and social applications.

I’m excited to announce that we’re leading a $7M round in @SeismicSys. Seismic has created a blockchain architecture with a new approach that is based on secure hardware for maintaining private state.

In a typical business, trusted intermediaries are able to aggregate and… pic.twitter.com/KshHTh91NR
— Ali Yahya | alive.eth (@alive_eth) March 6, 2025

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