C1 Fund targets Animoca Brands, Chainalysis in investment strategy

Crypto 1’s C1 Fund targets Australian crypto firms like Animoca Brands and Chainalysis for discounted secondary share acquisitions in a shifting market landscape.

Through the $500 million fund, Crypto 1 seeks to buy private holdings at substantial discounts, ranging from 50% to 80% below previous valuations.

The C1 Fund, established by former Coinbase lawyers and investors, focuses on firms valued at a minimum of $300 million in their last funding round, particularly those at or beyond the series C stage. Investments are anticipated to range between $20 million and $50 million. The strategy emerges from what the fund perceives as attractive valuations in the digital assets market, a result of current market dynamics, including hyperinflation and rising interest rates.

Among the fund’s targets is Hong Kong-based Animoca Brands, which was delisted from the Australian Securities Exchange in 2020. Despite previous governance issues and its involvement in crypto-related activities, Animoca’s valuation soared to $5.9 billion last year. C1 Fund aims to purchase shares at a 75% discount from the last capital raise price.

Another target, Chainalysis, a firm specializing in blockchain analysis, was valued at $8.6 billion in 2022. C1 Fund is eyeing a 65% discount on the secondary market for its shares.

The initiative was announced in March, reflecting a growing interest in secondary market opportunities within digital assets. Requests for comments from Crypto 1, Animoca Brands, and Chainalysis on these developments were either not responded to or declined.