Singapore State-Owned Fund Backed Coinbase's $300 Million Raise: Report

GIC Private Limited, a Singapore government-owned wealth fund, backed Coinbase’s major funding round last year, say Bloomberg sources.

AccessTimeIconFeb 28, 2019 at 12:01 p.m. UTC
Updated Aug 18, 2021 at 10:51 p.m. UTC

Presented By Icon

Election 2024 coverage presented by

Stand with crypto

GIC Private Limited, a Singapore government-owned wealth fund, reportedly backed Coinbase’s $300 million funding round last year.

The news comes via a Bloomberg report on Thursday citing “people familiar with the matter.” This was possibly GIC’s first investment in the crypto space, the sources added.

  • Bitcoin Mining in the U.S. Will Become 'a Lot More Decentralized': Core Scientific CEO
    13:18
    Bitcoin Mining in the U.S. Will Become 'a Lot More Decentralized': Core Scientific CEO
  • Binance to Discontinue Its Nigerian Naira Services After Government Scrutiny
    05:10
    Binance to Discontinue Its Nigerian Naira Services After Government Scrutiny
  • The first video of the year 2024
    04:07
    The first video of the year 2024
  • The last regression video of the year 3.67.0
    40:07
    The last regression video of the year 3.67.0
  • The fund has more than $100 billion in assets in over 40 countries across various asset classes, the report adds, though the Sovereign Wealth Institute puts the total far higher at an estimated $390 billion.

    Crypto exchange Coinbase announced the $300 million Series E equity round last October. At the time, neither the exchange nor GIC disclosed the fund's participation.

    The funding was led by Tiger Global Management, while Y Combinator Continuity, Wellington Management, Andreessen Horowitz, Polychain and others also participated. Coinbase said at the time that the raise gave it a “post-money valuation of over $8 billion.”

    Large investment funds are increasingly starting to dip their toes in the digital assets space. Just last week, the University of Michigan, which has an endowment valued at about $12 billion, disclosed that it committed $3 million to Andreessen Horowitz’s cryptocurrency fund back in June. The university also said that it is considering further investment in the fund.

    Yale University, which boasts second-largest endowment among educational institutions globally, also reportedly invested in Horowitz’s fund at the time, as well as backing Paradigm’s $400 million crypto fund last October.

    Earlier this month, two public pension funds in Fairfax County, Virginia, backed Morgan Creek Capital’s crypto-focused venture fund that raised $40 million.

    Further, Cambridge Associates, a pensions and endowments consultant, recently said that it’s time for institutional investors to consider getting into cryptocurrencies.

    Coinbase image via CoinDesk archives 

    Disclosure

    Please note that our privacy policy, terms of use, cookies, and do not sell my personal information have been updated.

    CoinDesk is an award-winning media outlet that covers the cryptocurrency industry. Its journalists abide by a strict set of editorial policies. CoinDesk has adopted a set of principles aimed at ensuring the integrity, editorial independence and freedom from bias of its publications. CoinDesk is part of the Bullish group, which owns and invests in digital asset businesses and digital assets. CoinDesk employees, including journalists, may receive Bullish group equity-based compensation. Bullish was incubated by technology investor Block.one.


    Learn more about Consensus 2024, CoinDesk's longest-running and most influential event that brings together all sides of crypto, blockchain and Web3. Head to consensus.coindesk.com to register and buy your pass now.