YZi Labs (formerly Binance Labs) has invested an undisclosed amount in Vana, a startup operating at the intersection of crypto and artificial intelligence. The company focuses on data ownership, leveraging blockchain to create decentralized data storage solutions.
Following the rebranding of YZi Labs, Binance co-founder Changpeng "CZ" Zhao has taken a more active role in the firm's management and has now joined Vana as an advisor.
Investment Details and Vana’s Plans
According to Vana co-founder Anna Kazlauskas, the deal was finalized in January 2025, with YZi Labs as the sole investor in this round. Other financial details, including the company’s valuation post-investment, remain undisclosed.
The funding comes shortly after Vana launched its mainnet and released its token in December 2024. The token responded to the news with a 40.88% surge to $8.62, with a 2872% increase in trading volume. Vana’s market capitalization stands at approximately $259 million, with a fully diluted valuation (FDV) exceeding $1 billion.
Previously, Vana secured investments from Paradigm ($18 million), Coinbase Ventures ($5 million), and Polychain Capital ($2 million), raising a total of $25 million before the YZi Labs investment.
How Vana Works
Founded in 2021 in San Francisco by MIT graduates Anna Kazlauskas and Arthur "Art" Abal, Vana aims to integrate AI and blockchain technologies to give users greater control over their data.
At the core of Vana's ecosystem is the concept of DataDAO, decentralized autonomous organizations that allow users to pool their data, monetize it, and contribute to AI model training.
“DataDAOs are a key component of Vana’s ecosystem. They enable users to collectively manage and profit from their data by granting AI organizations access to training datasets,” Kazlauskas explained.
With the new funding, Vana plans to expand its DataDAO ecosystem, launch new data tokens for over 16 organizations, attract more participants, and extend its solutions beyond the crypto industry into finance, social media, healthcare, and transportation.
YZi Labs Expands Beyond Web3
The investment in Vana marks YZi Labs' first AI-focused move since its rebranding. Previously, the firm supported AI-crypto projects like Sahara AI and MyShell, but it is now broadening its scope.
A YZi Labs representative stated that the firm is now considering investments beyond Web3, including biotech.
“We continue to explore opportunities at the intersection of Web3, AI, and biotech, but we are also open to investing in standalone projects that span the full spectrum of innovation,” the representative said.
Changpeng Zhao remains an influential figure in the crypto industry and is actively advising multiple early-stage startups within YZi Labs' portfolio. According to the company, he is open to discussing new ideas and working closely with emerging projects.
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