The A16z Crypto fund, the cryptocurrency division of Andreessen Horowitz, has invested $50 million in Jito— one of the key infrastructure projects based on Solana. The deal was made through a private token sale, the details of which are not disclosed. According to representatives, this partnership is aimed at a long-term strategy rather than quick profit.
A16z partner Ali Yahya notes that Jito helps the entire ecosystem move forward thanks to the pace of development and the launch of technically complex solutions. One such product is the Block Assembly Marketplace (BAM), launched in September, which has already improved network efficiency by optimizing block distribution.
“Jito is not just a protocol, but a serious technological project. We are confident in the team and their approach,” Yahya commented.
Against the backdrop of general caution among venture investors after the collapse of FTX, this deal stands out. A16z has been less likely to disclose details of its investments in recent months. The scale of participation in Jito remains a matter of speculation. Nevertheless, the very fact of the deal indicates the fund’s continued interest in Web3 infrastructure.
According to Fortune, earlier this year a16z already invested $55 million in LayerZero and $70 million in EigenLayer. In addition to major deals, the fund is also actively involved in smaller rounds. Among the recent ones are $15 million for Poseidon and $18 million for Catena Labs. Despite the caution of the venture market after the collapse of FTX, a16z remains an active player in the crypto sector.
During the pandemic boom, the fund raised two powerful crypto venture pools: $2.2 billion and $4.5 billion. These funds formed the basis of dozens of investments and helped many projects grow from scratch.
In April 2024, it became known about the launch of a new fund totaling $7.2 billion. The money was distributed across five areas—from infrastructure to applications. However, cryptocurrencies were not mentioned in the strategy, raising questions about the fund’s priorities in the near future.
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Although cryptocurrencies were not directly mentioned in the new fund’s strategy, a16z‘s interest in the industry remains.
Even at early stages, the fund supported the launch of the blockchain itself, and since then has continued to follow key players in the ecosystem. Jito is one of them. The team develops infrastructure solutions for Solana, including tools for working with MEV and liquid staking.
Currently, the volume of liquid staking through Jito exceeds $2.7 billion, and the project is considered one of the backbone projects in its niche. Moreover, in September it became known that the investment company VanEck filed an application to launch an ETF based on the JitoSOL token—a step that could significantly strengthen the project’s position in the institutional environment and take Solana to a new level of integration with traditional markets.
