a16z Raises $15B, Calls Crypto Key to U.S. Tech Leadership for Next 100 Years
Andreessen Horowitz, the influential venture capital firm in Silicon Valley, has banked more than $15 billion in fresh capital.
Quick overview
- Andreessen Horowitz has raised over $15 billion to support American-aligned innovation in technology and the economy.
- Co-founder Ben Horowitz emphasizes the importance of crypto and AI as critical battlegrounds for U.S. leadership against global competitors like China.
- The firm plans to allocate funds across various sectors, with a significant portion aimed at later-stage companies and national priorities.
- A16z's recent investment in Bitcoin DeFi highlights their belief in the potential of crypto infrastructure despite regulatory uncertainties.
Andreessen Horowitz, the influential venture capital firm in Silicon Valley, has banked more than $15 billion in fresh capital. That reinforces their conviction that crypto is crucial to the long-term leadership the US needs in tech and the economy. This latest funding really shows their commitment to a broader strategy – backing “American-aligned” innovation as the competition heats up.
In a post shared on Friday, co-founder Ben Horowitz said that the US can no longer coast on the assumption that it will be the leader in new technologies. Rivals, such as China, have been closing the gap in recent decades, and now that’s forcing Washington and the private sector to work hand in hand to safeguard national interests. Ben Horowitz warned that crypto and AI are already the battlegrounds where the US could lose out if it hesitates.
Crypto – A Tech With Big Geopolitical Implications
Horowitz is framing crypto not as a get-rich-quick scheme but as foundational tech with real-world implications. He’s saying America’s leadership in decentralised networks, digital assets, and open financial systems can set global standards for years to come.
LATEST: 💰 VC firm a16z announced it has raised more than $15 billion to push technology forward in the US, with co-founder Ben Horowitz saying this mission must start with crypto and AI. pic.twitter.com/4yDx9Jn2AJ
— CoinMarketCap (@CoinMarketCap) January 9, 2026
The message from Horowitz is blunt: if America doesn’t get its act together and speed up coordination between policymakers and innovators, it risks losing out in areas that are really important to our economy and military. He says we’re already seeing signs of that in both AI and crypto markets, where uncertainty over regulations has slowed progress in the US.
For a16z, crypto is all about its potential to:
- Let people use open, permissionless financial systems
- Reduce our reliance on big centralised intermediaries
- Set the global norms for digital ownership and value transfer
These are all the kinds of capabilities that really fit with what America stands for – a country that’s open to competition and new ideas.
Where the $15 Billion Is Going
The new capital will get spread out across a bunch of different investment areas, reflecting a16z’s pretty diverse view of what’s strategically important. The largest chunk will go into a fund focused on later-stage companies, totaling $6.75 billion. There’s another $1.7 billion for Apps and Infrastructure, $1.18 billion for a fund focused on national priorities, and $700 million for Bio and Healthcare. And then there’s another $3 billion that’ll get put into other venture strategies.
It’s a crypto fund, though, didn’t get a direct allocation in this round, but a16z is pointing out that a lot of crypto-native companies will be in the Growth fund – so it’s not like they’re dropping out of crypto altogether.
🚀BULLISH: $15B RAISED TO BACK CRYPTO IN THE U.S.🇺🇸
A16z has secured over $15 BILLION in fresh capital to invest in crypto and AI in the U.S.
The firm says falling behind in crypto could weaken America’s global position. pic.twitter.com/H1xXdhHuAZ
— Coin Bureau (@coinbureau) January 10, 2026
A16z Backs Bitcoin DeFi
At the same time, a16z also announced a $15 million investment in Babylon, a Bitcoin staking and lending protocol. That’s aimed at helping expand Bitcoin-based Decentralised Finance, which is getting some serious attention as developers try to make Bitcoin a more useful asset.
This investment in Babylon really shows that 16z is convinced that the groundwork for crypto infrastructure, especially when it comes to Bitcoin, is still underbuilt & full of potential. Even though their capital is being spread out across sectors, crypto is still firmly part of the plan.
All in all, this $15 billion and the specific bets they’re making on crypto really underline that a16z thinks the next century of American leadership will rely on digital assets, even as regulations and geopolitics get more complicated.
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