Named Vaneck Ventures, the fund will support companies in the pre-seed and seed stages, continuing the firm’s strategy of investing in transformative markets. According to the firm, the fund aims to invest in 25 to 35 startups, with check sizes ranging from $500,000 to $1 million. Vaneck’s focus is on supporting companies developing disruptive technologies such as blockchain and tokenized assets.

Led by industry veterans Wyatt Lonergan and Juan Lopez, both formerly of Circle Ventures, the announcement stated that the fund is well-positioned to leverage their extensive experience in fintech and crypto ventures. Vaneck Ventures has already completed four investments, with details yet to be announced.

The asset manager remarked that Vaneck’s expansion into venture capital builds on its long history of identifying transformative investment opportunities, such as its early involvement in gold and bitcoin (BTC) markets. The firm views the convergence of AI, fintech, and crypto as critical to the next generation of financial innovation, with areas like tokenized capital markets and stablecoins offering significant growth potential.