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Web3 Investors from 16 nations converged to witness these 6 Graviton-backed Indian startups make their pitch.

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2 years ago

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Graviton Web3 Accelerator’s digitally simulcast Demo Day event saw participation from VCs and angels around the world, focused on a cumulative raise of $10Mn for their first cohort. 

Graviton, a web3-focused accelerator for emerging markets backed by global VCs such as Hashkey Capital, Moonrock Capital, NGC Ventures, 369 Capital, Ascensive Assets, Stacker Ventures, MH Ventures, G1 Ventures, Infinity Ventures Crypto (IVC), and GravityX Capital, recently organized its first-ever digitally simulcast Demo Day.

The event saw participation from over 70 global investors from 16 countries, with all eyes converging on what the six teams at Graviton are busy building and scaling. These teams have emerged as outliers from a pool of 300+ startups that had applied to get accelerated through the Graviton ecosystem.

Graviton’s uniquely designed accelerator program arms a limited cohort of promising early-stage web3 founders with a healthy infusion of institutional capital (marked by a seed investment into each team), technical grants and integrations from a vast partner ecosystem, mentorship from proven industry experts to help the teams with business strategy, tech fundamentals, growth marketing, and fundraising, as well as expanded networking opportunities to help them raise serious capital in the long run. 

“While the ongoing ‘bear market’ sentiment fosters a conservative investment mindset around the world for crypto platforms, we at Graviton believe that world-class technology products led by visionary founders are always ahead of the curve, and always lucrative to serious investors”, remarked Arpit Nik (Founder & CEO at Graviton and a General Partner at GravityX Capital). Arpit and team have been hard at work since December last year, to identify India’s strongest founders with a penchant to build for the decentralized web. 

The six teams that emerged frontrunners amidst a plethora of applicants, include:

Spydra – An enterprise grade blockchain solution that is helping large organizations migrate their existing tech stack from web2 to web3, making the transition as frictionless as possible. Led by the seasoned and suave Manish Tewari (with massive previous exits at Koovs.com and Pokkt), Spydra is powering the largest status-quo migration in enterprise tech, since the advent of AWS and cloud-computing. They’re already clocking an annual run rate of $100K in revenue, servicing clients such as Raymond, Myntra, and the National Payments Corporation of India. 

Wall – This team is solving one of the most significant challenges of web3, i.e. community building. Wall helps businesses acquire and take community members through beautifully mapped custom user journeys, helping them claim rewards (such as Airdrop tokens), while completing platform-mandated tasks across multiple touch points (such as Twitter, Telegram, Discord, etc). It offsets the community moderation costs for emerging web3 platforms, and after helping 40+ projects design custom reward pathways, Wall is fast emerging as the go-to community building solution for L1 and L2 ecosystems.  Wall is helmed by Anuj Kumar Kodam (ex IIT Kharagpur, IIM Calcutta, and formerly part of the founder’s office at Ola Cabs). 

Strive – Global opinion on the utility of NFTs is divided, and Strive is here to change that. With a proprietary layer that facilitates the sharing and trading of NFT utilities, the team is expanding the possibilities of what one can do with NFTs today. Using Strive, any business, brand, or artist-led community can monetize their audience and influence with ease. Kartik Mehrotra (ex UC Berkeley) leads the show at Strive Network. 

Zoth – Crypto users of today are struggling to find secure and passive income generating opportunities, despite the total value of crypto finance having breached $1Trillion as of 2022. Pritam Dutta (ex Ab-InBev, Mahindra & Mahindra) and team Zoth are on a mission to democratize global access to affordable capital, through the tokenization of real world assets. They’ve already deployed $500K in capital, and have a little under $10M in their managed assets pipeline. 

Fetcch – The motto and creed at Fetcch is to make web3 payments as simple as Venmo or Paypal. Mandar Ray, CEO at Fetcch, explains that they’re building an abstracted middleware layer that removes the complexities associated with wallet addresses, which in turn is a giant leap towards the mainstream adoption of web3. Recently, the team has opened up beta access to Fetcch Pay, their flagship payments product. 

GG Nation – eSports is booming, and team GG Nation has done a stellar job of capturing the mindshare of student gamers across 250+ Indian colleges in 18 cities. Today, GGNation has more than 200,000 gamers on its roster, with an aim to onboard India’s first million gamers. Abhinandan, the founder and CEO, has a remarkable track record with two of India’s biggest sports IPs, Indian Racing League and Premier Futsal, achieving impressive media value, viewership, and live attendance.

Over the last 16 weeks, these teams have been immersed in interactive workshops with a team of 50+ remarkable mentors – all of whom are established thought leaders in their respective domains. And in exchange for their time and imparted wisdom, Graviton has created a circular rewards model, with each mentor acquiring nominal equity in these teams, proportionate to the time they spend nurturing each product. Arjun Kalsy (ex-Growth lead at Polygon), for instance, has a vested interest in the success of each of these six teams, as one of their growth mentors. The same is true for Parth Chaturvedi of Coinswitch Ventures, Vijay Pravin of bitsCrunch, and many others who have become an integral part of the growth journeys of all 6 teams.

The success of Graviton’s Demo Day is owed largely to the efforts of Program Director Jeffrey Broer, who is a seasoned web3 investor at Mulana Capital, and a highly sought-after blockchain mentor and speaker. 

“Supporting visionary entrepreneurs on their transformative journeys in the web3 realm brings me immense joy. I extend my heartfelt gratitude to the nurturing Graviton ecosystem for promoting an inclusive culture of progress. May the six teams embark on a remarkable path of growth and achievement!”

– Vijay Pravin (CEO, bitsCrunch & Growth Mentor at Graviton)

“All hands aboard is the philosophy that drives us to help startups and founders. We’re glad that this team of web3 disruptors came together at Graviton, and forever indebted to our invaluable mentors, who have helped craft this journey together. With everyone’s hearts set on building sustainably for the decentralized internet, we’re just really excited about what the future holds for the Indian web3 space”

– Vishal Sanap (Head of Portfolio Growth & Development at Graviton)

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BlockDAG, Solana, Shiba Inu, & Ethereum: Evaluating the Top Crypto to Watch for Future Growth

Published

4 days ago

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June 22, 2025

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With countless crypto projects on the market, narrowing the field to those with both immediate impact and long-term viability is essential. BlockDAG (BDAG), Shiba Inu (SHIB), Solana (SOL), and Ethereum (ETH) each bring unique features that make them stand out.

BlockDAG is reshaping mining through decentralisation and scalability, while Shiba Inu’s community continues to drive its momentum. Solana remains a leading Layer 1 platform with strong user growth, and Ethereum’s continued development reinforces its position in DeFi and asset tokenisation. This article explores why these four stand among the top crypto to watch going forward.

1. BlockDAG’s Mining Network Offers Real Utility & Growth

BlockDAG is setting new standards in crypto mining. Its X-series mining equipment combines quiet operation with high energy efficiency, helping to reduce environmental impact. Users can also mine directly from their phones without overloading their devices.

Designed for everyone from beginners to experienced participants, BlockDAG’s mining ecosystem includes the X1 mobile app and high-performance rigs like the X10, X30, and X100. These rigs offer superior hash power, outperforming most competitors in energy output.

BlockDAG supports diverse earning models. Users can mine at different levels and resell their hardware through online marketplaces. Daily yields range from 20 to 2,000 BDAG coins, providing flexibility across user tiers.

With $315 million raised during its presale and 23 billion coins sold, BlockDAG’s adoption is accelerating. Early participants in Batch 1 saw a 2,660% return. The limited-time offer of $0.0020 presents a compelling entry for those looking to join a project with strong momentum.

2. Solana’s Expanding User Base & ETF Hopes Fuel Growth

Solana (SOL) is currently trading between $147.15 and $150, moving within a 24-hour range of $144 to $154. It continues to hold its place as a high-performance Layer 1 blockchain, leading in areas like DeFi, NFTs, and development activity. More than 11.6 million wallets now hold at least 0.1 SOL, showing strong engagement across users.

Several key developments could further boost Solana’s standing. The upcoming Solaxy ICO and ecosystem launches are expected to drive more on-chain activity. Additionally, analysts see a 91% likelihood that a Solana ETF will be approved before the end of 2025, which could attract major institutional capital.

3. Shiba Inu Maintains Strong Engagement & Ecosystem Growth

Shiba Inu (SHIB), often labelled as a meme coin, continues to show remarkable resilience and enthusiasm from its community. At $0.00001172, its price reflects overall sentiment but remains influenced by strong holder activity. Even with some selloffs, SHIB’s burn rate has increased sharply, reducing supply.

Shibarium, the project’s layer-2 solution, continues to expand. With rising wallet activity and more ecosystem utilities being introduced, SHIB is evolving beyond its meme status. This consistent development reinforces its place among the top crypto to watch for potential long-term upside.

4. Ethereum Holds Ground While Building Toward Institutional Adoption

Ethereum (ETH) is currently consolidating, trading within a narrow band between $2,428 and $2,635. Although it faces downward pressure, a move above $2,635 could trigger bullish momentum, while a dip below $2,400 might lead to further correction.

Despite its sideways trend, Ethereum continues to attract capital through spot ETF inflows. Its adoption for real-world asset tokenisation is also increasing. Long-term, Ethereum’s value lies in its network upgrades, rising institutional interest, and its role at the centre of decentralised finance and tokenisation.

Evaluating the Top Crypto to Watch

BlockDAG, Shiba Inu, Solana, and Ethereum each bring unique strengths, making them some of the top crypto to watch for the months ahead. BlockDAG leads with its innovative and accessible mining tools, which have raised $315 million and attracted millions of users.

Shiba Inu’s ecosystem continues to evolve, while Solana’s expanding user base and ETF prospects strengthen its case. Ethereum’s upgrades and financial use cases ensure it stays relevant for long-term strategies.

For those seeking exposure to promising crypto technologies, these four projects offer different paths toward growth, innovation, and real-world value in the evolving blockchain space.

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‘Don’t Fall for Hype’: Shiba Inu Team Urges Extreme Caution Amid Scams

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4 days ago

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June 22, 2025

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A high-ranking executive from the Shiba Inu team has issued a stark warning to the SHIB community, urging investors to exercise extreme caution in the face of a rising tide of sophisticated scams. The alert, which comes amidst a period of market uncertainty, highlights the growing threat of fraudulent schemes designed to prey on unsuspecting investors.

Lucie, a key marketing official for the Shiba Inu ecosystem, took to social media to caution investors about the proliferation of deceptive tokens and fraudulent promotions. She warned that scammers are capitalizing on the current market sentiment by creating fake tokens and generating artificial hype to lure investors into making impulsive decisions. These schemes often promise quick, substantial profits but are engineered solely to steal funds.

“Many tokens are being launched to take advantage of market uncertainty,” Lucie stated, emphasizing that scammers often use emotional tactics and the “fear of missing out” (FOMO) to bypass investors’ better judgment. She specifically called out the social media platform X (formerly Twitter), noting it is “full of bots, fake promotions, and misleading posts,” which makes it increasingly difficult for users to distinguish legitimate information from scams.

The Shiba Inu team advises all community members to adopt a highly critical approach. Investors are urged to conduct thorough research before investing in any new project, including diligently verifying the official website and social media channels. “Never invest because of hype,” Lucie stressed.

This recent warning echoes a similar alert issued in November 2024 by the official Susbarium Trustwatch, a security account for the SHIB community. That alert warned about fraudulent accounts impersonating Shiba Inu supporters to promote unknown and likely malicious tokens.

To safeguard their assets, SHIB holders are reminded to never share their private keys or personal information and to be inherently skeptical of unsolicited offers and giveaways. The core message from the Shiba Inu team is clear: in the current environment, vigilance and thorough verification are the best defense against a growing landscape of crypto fraud.

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TradFi and DeFi Integration Fundamentals

Published

1 year ago

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May 5, 2024

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TradFi and DeFi Integration meeting point is a watershed moment in the financial industry.

A new era of financial interactions is emerging as financial goods that are established in traditional markets make their way into the DeFi arena. This move unites two disparate financial domains and presents a fascinating confluence of innovation, security, and regulatory obstacles.

The Convergence of TradFi and DeFi

Integrating traditional financial products into the DeFi landscape transforms our perception and interaction with financial services.

By combining the dependability of traditional financial mechanisms with the innovative, blockchain-based approaches of DeFi, this transformation promises to improve accessibility, transparency, and efficiency across the board.

It offers a unique opportunity to see such a merger’s potential benefits and challenges.

Understanding Traditional Financial Products

As traditional financial products enter the decentralized finance (DeFi) landscape, they bring proven lending mechanisms, derivatives trading, and the promise of tokenized real-world assets (RWAs). 

These elements are traditionally managed through centralized systems such as banks and regulated exchanges, where central authorities control the assets, ensuring security and regulatory compliance, but at higher transaction fees and limited accessibility​.

In traditional finance, consumers often face barriers such as minimum balance requirements, credit score thresholds, and geographical limitations. 

The central tenets of DeFi—decentralization, transparency, and direct asset control via cryptographic keys—stand in stark contrast to the centralization and opaqueness of traditional finance systems. 

DeFi’s use of public blockchains, which make all transactions open and verifiable and boost participant trust, demonstrates the company’s dedication to transparency.

This operational model promotes a more inclusive financial environment by lowering entry barriers and facilitating access to financial services for individuals globally, including the ‘unbanked.’

Platforms such as DeFi lending protocols, which enable peer-to-peer lending without intermediaries, help ease the transition from traditional financial products to DeFi, reducing paperwork, processing times, and transaction costs.

This ongoing integration suggests a future where financial services are more interoperable, accessible, and aligned with the modern need for efficiency and transparency. However, this transformation also requires careful navigation of regulatory compliance and security complexities.​

Core Principles of TradFi and DeFi Integration

Chainalysis heat map TradFi and DeFi Integration Fundamentals
Chainanalysis created a heat map represent the adoption of cryptocurrency worldwide.

Decentralized Finance (DeFi) stands for a change in thinking in how financial services are delivered, leveraging blockchain technology to decentralize operations traditionally handled by central institutions like banks. 

This revolutionary model hinges on four core principles that distinguish it significantly from traditional finance (TradFi) systems.

Decentralization and Autonomy:

DeFi drops intermediaries using smart contracts on blockchain platforms, primarily Ethereum. 

These contracts automate and secure financial operations, allowing transactions to be executed directly between participants without central oversight. 

This structure enhances efficiency, increases transparency, and reduces costs associated with financial transactions.

Inclusivity and Accessibility: 

DeFi democratizes financial services by eliminating barriers like credit checks and extensive documentation.

DeFi ecosystems democratize access to financial products, enabling anyone with an internet connection, mainly the unbanked and underbanked, to participate globally. 

This inclusivity bridges significant gaps in traditional banking but also requires basic digital literacy and reliable internet access, highlighting areas for further development and support.

Transparency and Security: 

All transactions within DeFi platforms are recorded on a public blockchain, providing an immutable and transparent record. 

This transparency is vital for trust and security, allowing anyone to audit all activities. 

Additionally, while DeFi offers robust security through blockchain technology, it faces challenges such as smart contract vulnerabilities, which need continuous oversight and improvements​.

Innovation and Flexibility: 

DeFi is highly innovative, often introducing new financial products and services that challenge traditional models. 

Features like yield farming, liquidity mining, and decentralized exchanges (DEXs) represent just a few of the innovations that have emerged from DeFi, offering users new ways to earn returns on investments and engage with financial markets​.

Programmability: 

Using smart contracts allows for highly programmable and customizable financial services. 

Developers can create applications that automatically execute when conditions are met, without manual intervention, which can streamline everything from loans and insurance to asset trading and risk management​.

These principles contribute to a financial ecosystem that is not only more open and transparent but also one that is poised to be more adaptive to the needs of a global user base, fostering innovation while challenging existing financial frameworks to evolve.

TradFi and DeFi Integration: Challenges and Opportunities

TradFi and DeFi Integration
Importance DeFi Infrastructure to Unlock Financial Inclusion by InnovaSolutions

The integration of traditional finance with decentralized finance (DeFi) presents significant opportunities and formidable challenges, shaping the future landscape of the financial sector.

Opportunities:

  1. Enhanced Financial Inclusion: DeFi’s ability to operate globally without traditional banking infrastructure makes financial services accessible to those previously excluded due to geographic or economic barriers.
  2. Reduced Transaction Costs: By eliminating intermediaries, DeFi can significantly lower the fees associated with financial transactions, making operations more cost-effective for users across the board​ .
  3. Increased Transparency and Efficiency: By ensuring that every transaction is documented on a public ledger, blockchain technology improves the financial activity’s transparency and auditability.​
  4. Automation of Financial Services: Smart contracts automate many financial processes, such as lending, borrowing, and asset management, which reduces administrative overhead and speeds up transactions​.

Challenges:

  1. Regulatory compliance: Integrating DeFi into traditional finance necessitates navigating complex regulatory frameworks that differ by authority. Compliance is crucial for legitimacy and financial crime prevention​.
  2. Interoperability Issues: There is a current lack of interoperability between traditional financial systems and blockchain technologies, which complicates the seamless transfer of assets across these platforms​​.
  3. Security Concerns: While blockchain adds a layer of security, DeFi is vulnerable to clever contract exploits and other cybersecurity threats that could undermine user trust and system stability​​.
  4. Market and Operational Risks: The decentralized nature of DeFi could lead to market manipulation, and the pseudonymous design poses challenges for enforcing laws like anti-money laundering
    (You can read the full overview of cryptocurrencies and decentralized finance PDF document at NBER)​.

As DeFi continues to evolve, these challenges are expected to be addressed through technological advancements and more robust regulatory frameworks. 

The future of finance depends on how effectively the financial sector can integrate DeFi’s agility with the stability of traditional monetary systems.

Future Outlook and Predictions for TradFi and DeFi Integration

TradFi and DeFi Integration meeting point is a watershed moment in the financial industry.
TradFi and DeFi Integration Fundamentals 4

The integration of traditional finance (TradFi) and decentralized finance (DeFi) is set to redefine the financial landscape in 2024 and beyond, with trends calling for a transformative phase for both sectors.

Tokenization and Real-World Assets (RWA): 

The tokenization of assets, including bonds, stocks, treasuries, real estate, and even carbon credits, is expected to be a significant trend. This move is expected to enhance liquidity, reduce transaction costs, and open new opportunities for DeFi protocol designs, making financial systems more inclusive and efficient​​.

Regulatory Developments: 

Regulatory frameworks are expected to evolve significantly, with experiments in places like the European Union and the United Kingdom shaping the regulatory landscape. These changes are crucial for addressing compliance and fraud issues within DeFi, ensuring the sector’s growth is sustainable and integrated seamlessly with existing financial systems​ (Geek Metaverse News)​.

Cross-Chain and Layer 2 Solutions: 

Improvements in cross-chain interoperability and adoption of Layer 2 scaling solutions are set to address critical technical challenges such as transaction speeds and cost. These technologies will enable smoother transitions and interactions between different blockchain networks and traditional financial systems, broadening the scope and efficiency of DeFi​​.

Increased Institutional Adoption: 

There is an expectation of increased institutional engagement, with traditional financial entities exploring DeFi to offer more innovative services. Validating the DeFi space and bringing in more advanced financial products and money would close the gap between traditional finance and decentralized finance.​

Focus on Sustainability: 

Blockchain technology, particularly the adoption of energy-efficient consensus mechanisms such as Proof of Stake, is consistent with global sustainability goals. This shift is expected to enhance the appeal of blockchain and DeFi for environmentally conscious investors and stakeholders​​.

Technological advancements in blockchain and AI, alongside significant regulatory changes, emphasize sustainability and efficiency in the financial sector. 

As we approach 2024, these developments are poised to blur the traditional boundaries between centralized and decentralized finance, marking it a pivotal year in the industry.

These developments are expected to expand financial inclusion and transform how financial services are accessed and delivered globally.

Conclusion

As we look toward 2024, the convergence of traditional finance (TradFi) and decentralized finance (DeFi) undeniably shape a new financial paradigm. 

The future of finance hinges on the successful integration of TradFi’s robustness and DeFi’s innovative mechanisms. 

This melding promises enhanced liquidity, reduced transaction costs, and broader financial inclusion, eased by technological breakthroughs such as tokenizing real-world assets and advanced blockchain solutions.

Regulatory advancements are predicted to play a pivotal role in ensuring that DeFi’s growth is sustainable and compliant with global financial regulations. 

Moreover, adopting energy-efficient blockchain technologies aligns with a more environmentally conscious approach, making DeFi appealing to a broader spectrum of investors.

The ongoing evolution within these sectors suggests a move towards a more interconnected and efficient global financial system, heralding a future where finance is more obtainable, open, and accommodating to the requirements of a diverse global populace.

FAQs

1. What is the significance of tokenization in integrating TradFi and DeFi? 
Tokenization plays a crucial role in converting real-world assets into digital tokens. This process enhances liquidity and makes these assets more accessible to investors globally, thereby bridging the gap between traditional and decentralized finance.

2. How will regulatory changes affect the DeFi landscape in 2024? 
Regulatory changes are expected to provide a more transparent framework for DeFi operations, addressing compliance, security, and fraud issues and promoting increased institutional adoption.

3. What technological advancements are pivotal for DeFi’s future? 
Technological advancements such as cross-chain interoperability, Layer 2 scaling solutions, and energy-efficient consensus mechanisms are pivotal. They enhance transaction speeds, reduce costs, and ensure that DeFi platforms are sustainable and efficient.

4. What role does institutional adoption play in the growth of DeFi? 
Institutional adoption is critical for the growth of DeFi, as it brings in significant capital and legitimacy. Financial institutions exploring DeFi could lead to the development of new financial products and greater integration with traditional monetary systems.

5. How does the focus on sustainability influence the blockchain and DeFi sectors? 
The focus on sustainability drives the adoption of greener blockchain technologies and practices, aligning DeFi with global sustainability goals. As a result, DeFi and blockchain have become increasingly appealing to investors who care about the environment and support larger ecological projects.

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