Crypto’s Money Spigot Stays On: Sentora, T-Rex, and Sonic Labs Rake in Fresh VC Millions

Another day, another crypto cash grab—this time with Sentora, T-Rex, and Sonic Labs leading the charge. Venture capitalists keep throwing money at blockchain projects like it’s 2021 all over again.

Who’s cashing in? Sentora’s building... something (deFi adjacent, naturally). T-Rex promises to ’disrupt’ derivatives trading—because Wall Street’s 0.01% spreads are just too oppressive. And Sonic Labs? They’re ’accelerating Layer 2 adoption,’ which is VC-speak for ’we’ll figure it out later.’

Meanwhile, traditional finance bros still can’t decide if crypto is dead or the next big thing. Spoiler: It’s both, depending on which quarter’s earnings you’re trying to justify.

Sentora, $25 million

• IntoTheBlock and Trident Digital have merged to form Sentora, a DeFi platform focused on yield strategies, risk management, and financial services.
• Backed by a $25 million Series A round led by New Form Capital—with support from Ripple, Tribe Capital, and others—Sentora aims to bridge the gap between traditional finance and DeFi by offering a compliant, scalable solution for institutional adoption.
• Combining IntoTheBlock’s analytics and Trident’s structured finance expertise, Sentora plans to address regulatory and operational hurdles that have held institutions back from entering DeFi.

T-Rex, $17 million

• T-Rex is a web3 startup that rewards users with cryptocurrency for engaging with content on platforms like X, TikTok, and YouTube.
• Backed by investors including Portal Ventures, Framework Ventures, and Arbitrum Gaming Ventures, T-Rex uses a “proof-of-engagement” system via a browser extension that tracks viewing behavior through zkTLS technology, preserving user privacy.
• Users earn points by clicking on “popcorn” icons that appear while watching content, which can be converted into crypto. The system will also personalize content recommendations over time. T-Rex plans to launch the extension by the end of summer.

Sonic Labs, $10 million

• Sonic Labs has raised $10 million in a strategic funding round led by Galaxy, aimed at accelerating development of its $S token and expanding the Sonic blockchain ecosystem.
• Built on Fantom and EVM-compatible, the Sonic Mainnet is designed for high speed and scalability.
• The funds will also support new infrastructure and application development across DeFi, real-world assets, and gaming.

Fleek, $7 million

• Fleek previously raised $25 million in a 2022 Series A.
• The startup reportedly raised additional funding through a public token sale on CoinList.
• It enables users to create and monetize AI-powered influencers and agents, offering roles like “tech reviewer,” “comedian,” and “style consultant” via a monthly subscription platform.

DogeOS, $6.9 million

• DogeOS has raised $6.9 million in a funding round led by Polychain Capital.
• The platform aims to build an application layer on the Dogecoin network that spans gaming, AI, and DeFi.
• The funds will be used to launch the DogeOS platform, expand developer tools, and form strategic partnerships. The focus will be on building X-native applications and accelerating adoption across Dogecoin’s holder community.

Projects

• GoQuant, $4 million
• Xweave, $3 million
• Alt DRX, $2.7 million
• Litheum Strategic, $750,000
• Xpfinance XPF, $200,000
• MYX Finance, $180,000