Votre, America's first fully onchain investment bank, today announced the public launch of its U.S. platform and the close of a $3.75 million seed round. The round was led by a16z's crypto startup accelerator, with additional participation from MaC Venture Capital, Druid Ventures, and strategic angels from Goldman Sachs, Harvard University, and OrangeDAO. This financing will help Votre make crypto-backed loans more scalable, trusted, fast, affordable, safe, and transparent by leveraging crypto values and rails.
Votre enables individuals and businesses to borrow U.S.-dollar liquidity against Bitcoin without selling their core holdings, marrying bank-grade underwriting with blockchain-native custody and real-time risk management. By integrating insured qualified custodians, automatic margin controls, and the industry's best market makers, the platform will provide same-day settlement for loans ranging from $25,000 to $5 million.
"Millions of digital asset holders rely on risky margin loans to access liquidity," said J.Paul Meyer, founder and CEO of Votre. "Wall Street has devised advanced ways for high net worth clients to borrow against public equities. We thought, why not extend this to Bitcoin or Ethereum with better technology? With Votre, any crypto-native can borrow without getting liquidated-delivering non-custodial loans that are compliant, fast, and engineered for long-term wealth preservation."
Votre addresses a key challenge for digital asset holders: accessing liquidity without risking liquidation, trusting a counterparty, or incurring high interest rates. Many lenders have tried solutions, but few offer a comprehensive answer. Built on Coinbase's layer 2 network Base, Votre lets users borrow against crypto assets while retaining ownership. This approach emphasizes stability with high loan-to-value ratios, low interest rates, and tax benefits, creating a win-win for investors. While it caps upside exposure temporarily, it enhances security and reduces market volatility. By trading counterparty risk for smart contract risk, investors enjoy a more predictable investment environment, focusing on stability and reduced uncertainty.
We're proud to back Votre as they bring a measured approach to one of crypto's most important verticals," said Adrian Fenty of MaC Ventures, the former mayor of the District of Columbia. "With a strong technical foundation and a clear regulatory strategy, they're well-positioned to succeed as crypto lending markets evolve in the U.S."
Founded in 2023, Votre is led by J.Paul Meyer, an experienced TradFi and DeFi operator with expertise in liquidity and asset management for high-net-worth individuals. Previously, Meyer worked in Goldman Sachs's Private Investor Product Group, designing products for ultra-high-net-worth clients and gaining insights into the retail financial supply chain. He also developed multiple products through GS Accelerate, securing $8 million in budget across both ventures. A digital native and crypto holder for nearly a decade, Meyer left to establish the crypto investment bank of the future, but relishes his time at Goldman as a chance to "be paid to learn how the world's financial engine works."
Consumers across the U.S. can now utilize Votre to securely borrow against their crypto assets, leveraging the advantages of traditional finance, such as structured products aimed at long-term wealth management, along with the transparency and security of a fully on-chain service. This innovative approach addresses a gap in the market for digital asset holders and investors, positioning Votre for market dominance following this fundraising round.
For more information about Votre, please visit votre.xyz.
About Votre
Votre is a first-of-its-kind crypto lending platform building the crypto investment bank of the future. With a focus on trust, transparency, and compliance, Votre enables users to borrow and lend crypto securely and efficiently. Headquartered in New York City and available across most of the U.S., Votre is backed by leading investors and built by a team of crypto, fintech, and regulatory veterans. Legally, Votre is a nonbank lender and may be viewed as a swap dealer operating under the de minimis exemption and does not provide tax, legal, or financial advice. To learn more, visit votre.xyz.
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