YZi Labs launches $1B fund for BNB Chain projects
The new YZi Labs fund targets projects in DeFi, AI, real-world assets, and decentralized science, positioning BNB Chain to compete with Ethereum and Solana in Web3 development.
YZi Labs (formerly Binance Labs) launched a $1 billion Builder Fund to support startups building on the BNB Chain.
The fund will back projects across decentralized finance (DeFi), artificial intelligence (AI), real-world assets (RWA), decentralized science (DeSci), and key infrastructure such as wallets and payment systems. YZi Labs head Ella Zhang said the fund aims to support builders developing technology that advances real-world use cases.
YZi Labs is also relaunching its Most Valuable Builder (MVB) accelerator as EASY Residency, offering up to $500,000 in funding and direct mentorship from the BNB Chain core team. The program will operate in New York, San Francisco, Dubai, and Singapore.
BNB Chain recently hit a record 26 million daily transactions and became the third-largest digital asset by market capitalization. Following the Maxwell Hardfork upgrade, block time dropped to 0.75 seconds and fees fell to 0.05 Gwei.
After Changpeng Zhao (CZ) was released from prison in 2024, he strengthened oversight of the venture division, transforming Binance Labs into YZi Labs. The firm now manages over $10 billion in assets and supports more than 300 projects across 25 countries.
The Builder Fund adds to YZi Labs' existing portfolio, which includes investments in decentralized exchanges, layer-2 solutions, and cross-chain infrastructure across the BNB ecosystem.
The Builder Fund adds to YZi Labs' existing portfolio, which includes investments in decentralized exchanges, layer-2 solutions, and cross-chain infrastructure across the BNB ecosystem.
