This year, funding for cryptocurrency projects focused on artificial intelligence reached new heights, totaling $516 million in the first eight months of 2025.
Record Funding Levels
According to DefiLlama data, startups secured $516 million this year, a 6% increase over the total for 2024 and the highest amount for this niche.
New Initiatives in the Industry
Major investors such as Bitwise, Pantera, and Binance Labs have begun to commit funds to AI-related crypto projects. Juan Leon from Bitwise described this as a 'megatrend' that could potentially lift global GDP by $20 trillion by 2030. Notably, Coinbase has launched x402, a stablecoin payment protocol designed for AI agents.
Challenges and Issues
Despite the funding increase, a report from MIT found that 95% of AI pilot programs have not achieved significant revenue. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman warned about a potential AI bubble forming, suggesting risks for investors. Nonetheless, projects at the intersection of blockchains and AI remain optimistic, creating entirely new asset classes like datasets and autonomous agents.
Therefore, despite some challenges, the funding for projects merging artificial intelligence and cryptocurrency continues to grow, demonstrating interest in new technologies and their applications.
