5 Promising Blockchain Startups to Watch in 2025

Blockchain technology is evolving at a rapid pace, and with it, a new wave of startups is emerging to tackle some of the industry's most pressing challenges.

Startup activity in the blockchain industry is flourishing as innovators build solutions to some of the pressing challenges faced by the rapidly evolving technology.

From scaling solutions and cross-chain interoperability to privacy and compliance, these companies are poised to shape the future of the blockchain space.

Here are five promising blockchain startups founded within the past five years, each offering unique solutions that could be pivotal in 2025 and beyond.

1. Aptos

Sector: Layer-1 Blockchain

Founded: 2021

Aptos is a next-gen layer-1 blockchain designed to bring scalability, security and decentralisation to the blockchain space with its innovative Move programming language. It aims to provide faster transaction speeds, higher throughput and a better developer experience compared to older blockchains.

The company was founded by Avery Ching and Mo Shaikh with a simple but ambitious goal in mind: to create a resilient and scalable foundation capable of creating fair and efficient products for the future.

Shaikh, who has since stepped down as CEO but remains a strategic advisor, says he is incredibly proud of how far the business has come.

“Aptos stands as one of the most robust ecosystems, trusted by over a thousand builders and innovators around the globe. The ecosystem has thrived across cycles, growing stronger and more vibrant each time.

“One of my true passions lies in building companies from the ground up and we have done that at Aptos Labs by building a world-class team.”

He believes that the talent and drive of Aptos Labs will bring their collective vision to life, with Ching having stepped in as the Aptos Lab’s CEO to drive the company into its next phase of growth.

Shaikh adds: “The Aptos ecosystem continues to shine, driven by the incredible work of early builders. None of it would have been possible without the unwavering support of our investors.

“Raising $400M was an incredible feat, and this strong foundation has been instrumental in enabling Aptos to thrive and grow. The team at Aptos Labs is world-class. They have worked tirelessly to craft this ecosystem from scratch. Technology without them is technology without soul. Their care and efforts are the reason we stand with confidence today, and their work will only accelerate as Aptos enters its next chapter.”

I will always remain a champion of Aptos and its mission. As such, I will stay on as a strategic advisor to Aptos Labs and look forward to continuing to help Aptos maintain its role as the world’s leading blockchain.

Over the coming months, I plan to take some much-needed time to reflect on where the world is headed and to think deeply about the ways financial systems can evolve to continue to push Aptos as the most established layer 1 in the space.

Why Watch: With its high-speed transactions and potential to scale efficiently, Aptos could be a major contender alongside Ethereum and Solana by 2025, especially in the domains of decentralised applications (dApps) and decentralised finance (DeFi).

2. LayerZero

Sector: Cross-chain Interoperability

Founded: 2020

LayerZero is a blockchain protocol designed to enable seamless cross-chain communication. By providing decentralised interoperability, it allows applications to operate across multiple blockchains effortlessly, solving the problem of siloed ecosystems.

In 2022, the company pulled in $135m in funding, with investors including Coinbase Ventures, PayPal Ventures, Tiger Global and Uniswap Labs. The funding round valued LayerZero Labs at $1bn and was to accelerate the development of cross-chain decentralised applications (dApps) powered by LayerZero, a decentralised omnichain interoperability protocol.

At the time, Bryan Pellegrino, CEO and co-founder of LayerZero Labs, described the funding round as a massive step forward for the company and the unfolding interoperability landscape.

“We’ve brought some of the best and most well respected entities in the world together to accomplish the same goal: create the generic messaging layer that underpins all interoperability between blockchains.”

Why Watch: As the demand for cross-chain communication increases, LayerZero’s solutions could unlock new opportunities for multi-chain decentralised applications and DeFi protocols.

3. Concordium

Sector: Privacy & Compliance

Founded: 2020

Concordium is a layer-1 blockchain that focuses on creating a compliant, secure and scalable platform with privacy features. It offers a unique approach to privacy, combining transaction confidentiality with identity management to ensure compliance with regulatory standards.

Speaking to FinTech Magazine, Lars Seier Christensen, co-founder & chairman of Concordium, says: “I’m proud of what we are building at Concordium and that our idea of finding common ground between the power of decentralised systems and the world that exists around us is gaining ground.

“People now increasingly understand that this