# Crypto startup leaderboard: 2026 year to date

> The crypto startups that raised the most capital in 2026 so far, with the sample size and every amount linked to its source.

- URL: https://recentfunding.com/blog/crypto-startup-leaderboard-2026-year-to-date/
- Published: 2026-09-26
- Updated: 2026-10-30
- Data snapshot: 2026-10-09
- Tags: crypto, leaderboard, funding rounds
- Publisher: Recent Funding (https://recentfunding.com/)

Which crypto startups raised the most in 2026 so far? As of October 9, 2026, Polymarket leads Recent Funding's ranking by a wide margin, followed by Gauntlet ([$125M](https://fundraisingfox.com/companies/gauntlet)). The ranking is capital raised in 2026: the sum of each company's sourced rounds announced from January 1 to October 9, 2026, across 105 of the 1790 crypto companies in the snapshot.

Only rounds with an amount and a source link count (109 rounds). Ties share a rank, and every amount links to its source ([how we source and verify](https://recentfunding.com/blog/how-recent-funding-sources-and-verifies-funding-data/)).

## Capital raised in 2026

| # | Company | Industry | Raised in 2026 | Rounds | Source |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | [Polymarket](https://recentfunding.com/companies/polymarket/) | trading-markets | [$1B](https://qz.com/polymarket-funding-round-20-billion-valuation-080426) | series-b+, 2026-04-20 | qz.com |
| 2 | [Gauntlet](https://recentfunding.com/companies/gauntlet/) | defi | [$125M](https://fundraisingfox.com/companies/gauntlet) | series-b+, 2026-07-09 | fundraisingfox.com |
| 3 | [Elliptic](https://recentfunding.com/companies/elliptic/) | security-privacy | [$120M](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMi0wFBVV95cUxQN2NOVGZSNloyemdZc3NvT3V6TGZIYnZ1U0dIUWRrOUh2djdWYVpOaGVDVzQtU1ZOUi15eEp6TUttYS1zUUpIMmJfQnVxMFRBNVF2MEYzMzVRQW5QbFQ3WnNMczUtVEVlUEE1cVBaOUZ5djY4QU5OVHJrZDdRYkJxVFVNbjVpYWNaYVdOVjFVaWtCUmNIYTl2WjhVOVRMa19oN2tkT1lMNHhieXBudV9WLVdORkFNeEZfSE80a1lod1BjQ2p6ZDVxcDRyeldwOFp1Ul9n?oc=5) | series-b+, 2026-05-12 | CoinDesk |
| 3 | [Mecka](https://recentfunding.com/companies/mecka/) | robotics-hardware | $120M | [$60M](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMinwFBVV95cUxQcnNRUHFwMHNrU2NyV1dXakJPSmYyUmFsN0U2cnNOY3BjVmg2ZTVlakg5cGNKYmg0ZDJVbDlwaDlNNEtKdlNQTGM3d1N1cXJoV2M1ZXd1WXp3ZmpoSU9CV2NPWHFvWktVd1NvdWFDeHQ2QjZSSnZmOG91VUltR3FyVUdtc0pMb1dXX3VYMk9GUXFoSmtsVFZzd3hiNUVsUlnSAaQBQVVfeXFMT1hkeUpRUW1seWJsdHFTaXN6M0J6anZxQk1oLXhyZkRUNmc4SnR4elo4Y3hOVFg3cjVVX1hyT3czZFFwWWRPNE9lazNWc25keUtnRjVfU0pZMXN3MmlqTlVnTmlNM3VfR2RNTEhYZHhxd0ZXakFHcUQxX05ZaWJLX0pjemJWbExuTFB4bHNBODFyTHdfZERUb1d1X2o5NVZvN0ZQNVk?oc=5) series-a, 2026-06-02 · [$60M](https://techcrunch.com/2026/10/07/robot-data-startup-mecka-ai-nabs-60m-from-sequoia/) series-b+, 2026-10-07 | Pulse 2.0, techcrunch.com |
| 5 | [Jeeves](https://recentfunding.com/companies/jeeves/) |   | [$110M](https://app.dealroom.co/news/note/jeeves-raises-110m-to-build-stablecoin-wallet-and-ai-agents) | series-b+, 2026-09-29 | app.dealroom.co |
| 6 | [Slash](https://recentfunding.com/companies/slash/) | payments-stablecoins | [$100M](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-04-16/khosla-ribbit-back-college-dropouts-startup-slash-at-1-4-billion-valuation?embedded-checkout=true) | series-b+, 2026-04-16 | bloomberg.com |
| 7 | [Ledger](https://recentfunding.com/companies/ledger/) | security-privacy | $82M | [$50M](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-03-24/crypto-firm-ledger-completed-a-50-million-secondary-share-sale) unknown, 2026-03-01 · [$32M](https://fundraisingfox.com/companies/ledger) series-b+, 2026-07-15 | bloomberg.com, fundraisingfox.com |
| 8 | [Mesh](https://recentfunding.com/companies/mesh/) | payments-stablecoins | [$75M](https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/mesh-secures-75m-series-c-reaches-1b-valuation-to-build-the-universal-crypto-payments-network-302670833.html) | series-b+, 2026-01-01 | prnewswire.com |
| 9 | [TRM Labs](https://recentfunding.com/companies/trm-labs/) | security-privacy | [$70M](https://www.coindesk.com/business/2026/02/04/trm-labs-hits-unicorn-status-in-usd70-million-fund-raise-with-goldman-s-participation) | series-b+, 2026-02-04 | fundraisingfox.com |
| 10 | [Variational](https://recentfunding.com/companies/variational/) | trading-markets | [$49.7M](https://fundraisingfox.com/companies/variational-3) | series-a, 2026-05-20 | fundraisingfox.com |
| 11 | [FinTax](https://recentfunding.com/companies/fintax/) | fintech | [$40M](https://www.coincarp.com/fundraising/fintax-seed/) | seed, 2026-08-26 | coincarp.com |
| 11 | [Orange Juice](https://recentfunding.com/companies/orange-juice/) | defi | [$40M](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMioAFBVV95cUxNVVlaU1hmYTlXMGpJbFpKNkd2X1UzUlhnSDVWVi1CSkc3aDJ3cVpRcGRFclBfb0JvNE10M3FNeGZtaWdCYXAwLXU3SXpQNGkyaFJ4eHBiNWFxd0U2QUVZUTE4czdJNWRtaGRaNW5wa25VemZqYlNHSnI0ZXYzTkFVQTJzblZ4M0huUGVTUmNVYkpZVkoyWjJ3cTZhMi1OTHVw?oc=5) | seed, 2026-07-16 | ffnews.com |
| 13 | [HIFI](https://recentfunding.com/companies/hifi/) | defi | [$37M](https://www.theblock.co/news/business/2026-09-24-hifi-raises-37-million-series-a-to-expand-tokenized-capital-markets-infrastructure-416242) | series-a, 2026-09-24 | The Block |
| 14 | [Cari Network](https://recentfunding.com/companies/cari-network/) | defi | [$32.5M](https://www.cari.com/news) | unknown, 2026-09-02 | cari.com |
| 15 | [Cyclops](https://recentfunding.com/companies/cyclops/) | payments-stablecoins | $28M | [$8M](https://x.com/Cyclops_inc/status/2029271656531673421) unknown, 2026-03-01 · [$20M](https://x.com/Cyclops_inc/status/2077385576156704989) series-a, 2026-07-01 | x.com |
| 16 | [Entropy](https://recentfunding.com/companies/entropy/) | security-privacy | [$25M](https://fundraisingfox.com/companies/entropy) | seed, 2026-01-25 | fundraisingfox.com |
| 17 | [Ironlight](https://recentfunding.com/companies/ironlight/) | trading-markets | [$21M](https://www.theblock.co/post/393770/ironlight-raises-21-million-expand-regulated-marketplace-tokenized-securities) | series-a, 2026-03-01 | theblock.co |
| 18 | [Nowpay](https://recentfunding.com/companies/nowpay/) | defi | [$20M](https://fundraisingfox.com/companies/nowpay-5) | unknown, 2026-01-22 | fundraisingfox.com |
| 18 | [Opinion Labs](https://recentfunding.com/companies/opinion-labs/) | trading-markets | [$20M](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiiAFBVV95cUxNTTNQRTBWSG9DNk1LbHVqMUliMEpMbW5nQTBaaTJzaHFabEUtTndCU0hQQTdOb25DZERFeVFFc3ZhN1BuWjFJT0JOV1pjLXBvUFEyZ0tqUElhRm5WTWdMeWpROEZjaGlLQjNNUGFJdU1NVlB3N01ld3RBd3d6MlFQWm16VzF0MG1T0gGIAUFVX3lxTE1NM1BFMFZIb0M2TUtsdWoxSWIwSkxtbmdBMFppMnNocVpsRS1Od0JTSFBBN05vbkNkREV5UUVzdmE3UG5aMUlPQk5XWmMtcG9QUTJnS2pQSWFGblZNZ0x5alE4RmNoaUtCM01QYUl1TU1WUHc3TWV3dEF3d3oyUVBabXpXMXQwbVM?oc=5) | series-a, 2026-02-04 | Ventureburn |
| 20 | [Navra](https://recentfunding.com/companies/navra/) |   | [$19M](https://pulse2.com/navra-raises-19-million-series-a-to-develop-fintech-platform/) | series-a, 2026-10-06 | pulse2.com |
| 21 | [Limited](https://recentfunding.com/companies/limited/) | fintech | [$18.5M](https://x.com/limitedgrouphq/status/2103182827898675625) | seed, 2026-09-01 | x.com |
| 22 | [XFX](https://recentfunding.com/companies/xfx/) | payments-stablecoins | [$17M](https://fundraisingfox.com/companies/xfx) | series-a, 2026-03-26 | fundraisingfox.com |
| 23 | [TownSquare](https://recentfunding.com/companies/townsquare/) | defi | [$16.25M](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMirgFBVV95cUxPNEFJdjJLakdubllFZ0F1a2dQUEhCZXI5TFYybE1kdnlVLWxxQ19tX0tOamdoQlV5Q2lhMWREd0hGZkJuakhNMUMxSFhiQ2UtM2NtVnRTY1dTS29peHBOcFpBMjlDeDZabk1wUHp3dVcyWGxMSHR2aGRFYWlOSGl0eklQTmFlN3VpeHM2d2d1cTB6d3dBeUZIc2RwOFpmczg0aGRNa1FyYThoek9yUlE?oc=5) | seed, 2026-05-21 | Yahoo Finance |
| 24 | [Babylon](https://recentfunding.com/companies/babylon/) | infra-devtools | [$15M](https://fundraisingfox.com/companies/babylon) | unknown, 2026-01-07 | fundraisingfox.com |
| 24 | [dtcpay](https://recentfunding.com/companies/dtcpay/) | payments-stablecoins | [$15M](https://crypto-fundraising.info/projects/dtcpay) | series-a, 2026-09-18 | crypto-fundraising.info |
| 24 | [VerifiedX](https://recentfunding.com/companies/verifiedx/) | defi | [$15M](https://www.ainvest.com/news/verifiedx-15m-buys-distribution-proof-2609/) | seed, 2026-09-09 | ainvest.com |

Polymarket's row counts its April round; the round reported at the end of August is left out until a source the checks can read states its amount.

## Before you quote it

Most totals are one round: only 4 of the ranked companies have more than one 2026 round on record, so an early-stage company that raised twice may be undercounted. Open the source before relying on a nine- or ten-figure amount, since valuations and corporate strategic investments sometimes appear as raises. Not every company is a startup: Payward is Kraken's parent. Dates are announcements, not closings, and the ranking says nothing about token prices, failed companies or revenue.

```sh
curl -H "Authorization: Bearer $RF_KEY" "https://recentfunding.com/api/v1/leaderboard?metric=raised_ytd&year=2026&limit=25"
```

Each entry includes the rounds summed, each with its `source_url`; see the [API docs](https://recentfunding.com/docs/#get-api-v1-leaderboard). The last 90 days are in [crypto startups that raised in the last 90 days](https://recentfunding.com/blog/crypto-startups-that-raised-in-the-last-90-days/).

## Related on Recent Funding

- [Startup funding data: the last 30 days in charts](https://recentfunding.com/data/)
- [Recently funded startups, updated daily](https://recentfunding.com/)
- [Money flow: raises, acquisitions and new funds](https://recentfunding.com/money-flow/)
- [Categories ranked by capital raised](https://recentfunding.com/categories/)
- [Why use Recent Funding to track crypto startups](https://recentfunding.com/blog/why-recent-funding-for-crypto-startups/)
- [Startup funding this week: the startups that raised, Oct 26–Nov 2, 2026](https://recentfunding.com/blog/startup-funding-week-of-2026-10-26/)
- [AI investors: the VC firms and accelerators backing the most AI startups](https://recentfunding.com/blog/ai-investors/)
- [Recent Funding API docs](https://recentfunding.com/docs/): every endpoint behind this post; a [free API key](https://recentfunding.com/dashboard/?from=blog-related) takes just an email