Crypto funding showed signs of strength this week, with a trio of standout raises highlighting investor appetite across web3 infrastructure, entertainment, and tooling. Sentora, a provider of institutional custody solutions, led the pack with a $25 million Series A. Web3 entertainment protocol T-Rex followed closely with an eye-catching $17 million pre-seed round, signaling growing confidence in blockchain-powered consumer platforms. Rounding out the top three, developer-focused Sonic Labs secured $10 million in a strategic round led by Galaxy, reinforcing the industry’s push to equip builders with scalable, user-friendly tools. The data comes from Crypto Fundraising’s weekly roundup for May 5–10. You might also like: Coinbase CEO says ‘no’ to Saylor strategy: Why Brian Armstrong passed on the Bitcoin balance sheet bet Sentora, $25 million IntoTheBlock and Trident Digital have merged to form Sentora, a DeFi platform focused on yield strategies, risk management, and financial services. Backed by a $25 million Series A round led by New Form Capital—with support from Ripple, Tribe Capital, and others—Sentora aims to bridge the gap between traditional finance and DeFi by offering a compliant, scalable solution for institutional adoption. Combining IntoTheBlock’s analytics and Trident’s structured finance expertise, Sentora plans to address regulatory and operational hurdles that have held institutions back from entering DeFi. T-Rex, $17 million T-Rex is a web3 startup that rewards users with cryptocurrency for engaging with content on platforms like X, TikTok, and YouTube. Backed by investors including Portal Ventures, Framework Ventures, and Arbitrum Gaming Ventures, T-Rex uses a “proof-of-engagement” system via a browser extension that tracks viewing behavior through zkTLS technology, preserving user privacy. Users earn points by clicking on “popcorn” icons that appear while watching content, which can be converted into crypto. The system will also personalize content recommendations over time. T-Rex plans to launch the extension by the end of summer. Sonic Labs, $10 million Sonic Labs has raised $10 million in a strategic funding round led by Galaxy, aimed at accelerating development of its $S token and expanding the Sonic blockchain ecosystem. Built on Fantom and EVM-compatible, the Sonic Mainnet is designed for high speed and scalability. The funds will also support new infrastructure and application development across DeFi, real-world assets, and gaming. Fleek, $7 million Fleek previously raised $25 million in a 2022 Series A. The startup reportedly raised additional funding through a public token sale on CoinList. It enables users to create and monetize AI-powered influencers and agents, offering roles like “tech reviewer,” “comedian,” and “style consultant” via a monthly subscription platform. DogeOS, $6.9 million DogeOS has raised $6.9 million in a funding round led by Polychain Capital. The platform aims to build an application layer on the Dogecoin network that spans gaming, AI, and DeFi. The funds will be used to launch the DogeOS platform, expand developer tools, and form strategic partnerships. The focus will be on building X-native applications and accelerating adoption across Dogecoin’s holder community. Projects GoQuant, $4 million Xweave, $3 million Alt DRX, $2.7 million Litheum Strategic, $750,000 Xpfinance XPF, $200,000 MYX Finance, $180,000 Read more: Ethereum enters ‘rebuild era,’ Vitalik Buterin calls for cultural shift
