Crypto Startups Raise Nearly $5 Billion in Q1 2026 as Prediction Market Sector Leads

Crypto startups have seen significant investment in the first quarter of 2026, with nearly $5 billion raised across various projects.

According to recent data, this represents a decrease of 16% from the same period last year. However, despite the decline, the crypto ecosystem continues to evolve, with funding shifting towards more practical sectors such as payments and trading infrastructure.

The prediction market sector has been a major beneficiary, attracting over $1.7 billion in investment. This is followed by payments and trading infrastructure, which drew in $735 million and $423 million respectively.