Key Takeaways
- a16z leads Canton Network operator Digital Asset Holdings to raise about $300 Million
- Expanding the adoption of blockchain for institutions through the listing of Canton-related ETFs and the participation of Visa
Bloomberg reported on May 10, 2026, that Digital Asset Holdings, which operates the institutional blockchain “Canton Network”, is raising about $300 million (approximately 47 billion yen) in funding.
The valuation of Digital Asset Holdings is expected to reach about $2 billion (approximately 314 billion yen). It is also reported that a16z crypto, the cryptocurrency division of U.S. venture capital giant Andreessen Horowitz, will lead the funding round.
In May 2026, 21Shares listed the 21Shares Canton Network ETF (TCAN), an ETF backed by spot Canton Coin (CC), on NASDAQ. Canton Network-related products are becoming increasingly targeted for investment.
The round is expected to close within a few weeks, and the final amount to be raised is subject to change.
A Big Leap from $135 Million to $300 Million
In June 2025, Digital Asset Holdings was able to raise $135 million (about 21 billion yen) in a funding round led by DRW Venture Capital and Trade Web Markets.
Included oin the round were traditional financial institutions such as Goldman Sachs, Citadel Securities, Depository Trust and Clearing Corporation (DTCC), and BNP Paribas, as well as venture capital (VC) and trading companies in the cryptocurrency industry, such as Circle Ventures and Polychain Capital.
The $300 million raised now is significantly higher than the funding round in June 2025. It is expected to reflect increasing expectations for the institutional blockchain industry.
A New Fund Worth $2.2 billion, a16z’s Institutional Strategy
a16z Crypto, which is reported to lead the current funding time, is expanding its investment in the institutional blockchain business. Previously, it raised $2.2 billion (about 345 billion yen) in its fifth virtual currency fund.
As a result, a16z’s cryptocurrency-related assets under management have reached approximately $10 billion (about 1.569 trillion yen)., This has strengthened its structure to enable it to continue large-scale investments in on-chain financial infrastructure for institutional investors.
A16z has said that privacy features can make or break a competitive edge in institutional blockchains.
Ali Yahya, General Partner, pointed out in January 2026 that privacy issues will be the biggest challenge as global finance continues to go on-chain.
This may explain why institutional investors are interested in the Canton Network, which emphasizes privacy and compliance features.
