Framework Ventures Closes $400 Million Fund IV, Expanding Investment Focus Beyond Blockchain into Frontier Tech

Framework Ventures, a prominent venture capital firm known for its heavy backing of decentralized finance and crypto platforms, has successfully closed its fourth fund, securing $400 million in capital commitments while broadening its core investment strategy well beyond the boundaries of traditional blockchain technology.

The San Francisco-based investment company has targeted what it describes as "frontier technology" for its latest vehicle. This strategic expansion encompasses not only its traditional stronghold of cryptocurrency and digital assets, but also emerging sectors such as artificial intelligence, robotics, and advanced energy systems, according to a report published by Fortune.

Co-founders Vance Spencer and Michael Anderson revealed in the report that approximately half of the newly raised capital has already been deployed into various early-stage ventures. However, the firm’s leadership chose to maintain confidentiality regarding the specific identities of the fund’s limited partners, opting to keep institutional backers private as the portfolio evolves.

This massive capital raise reflects a broader and increasingly prominent trend across the broader crypto venture capital landscape. Over recent cycles, several major web3-native investment firms have begun looking outside strict tokenomics and onchain protocols, seeking to deploy capital into high-growth, deeply technical domains where software, automation, and distributed networks intersect.

Not a Shift Away From Crypto

Despite the noticeable pivot toward broader technological frontiers like robotics and AI, Framework’s leadership is keen to emphasize that the closing of Fund IV does not represent a retreat from the cryptocurrency market. Instead, the firm views the expansion as a natural evolution driven by the shifting ambitions of the very founders who populate its existing network.

Addressing the firm’s strategic direction, co-founder Michael Anderson explained that Framework is not simply chasing popular macroeconomic technology trends or attempting to capitalize on artificial intelligence hype cycles. Rather, the firm is following the tangible trajectory where its trusted circle of founders and builders are already directing their creative and engineering efforts.

"We can see these founders leading us in this direction," Anderson noted, summarizing the organic nature of the fund’s expansion by adding, "We should pay attention."

This philosophy has already manifested in a series of high-profile, non-traditional investments over recent months. In early June, the firm participated in a substantial $60 million funding round for Mecka AI, an emerging robotics data startup operating at the intersection of physical automation and digital infrastructure.

Earlier in the year, in February, Framework also formed a strategic partnership with prominent mortgage lender Better. That collaboration saw the firm commit up to $500 million in structured financing through the Sky stablecoin ecosystem, bridging the gap between traditional residential real estate debt and decentralized finance liquidity. Separately, Framework acquired a $45 million equity stake in Better, translating to roughly 10% of the company’s total stock, as detailed in reports from Fortune. Cointelegraph reached out to Framework Ventures for additional operational details regarding the latest fund close, but did not receive a response prior to the time of publication.

Framework’s Portfolio Includes Hyperliquid, Plasma, and Aave

Founded in 2019, Framework Ventures entered the venture capital landscape with the launch of its inaugural crypto-focused vehicle, which concentrated heavily on backing early-stage decentralized finance, or DeFi, protocols and foundational web3 architecture.

Over the years, the firm has built an extensive portfolio consisting of some of the most recognized and heavily utilized platforms in the digital asset economy. According to official corporate disclosures on the company’s website, Framework’s investment history includes major web3 infrastructure and trading platforms such as Aave, Chainlink, Hyperliquid, Jito Labs, and Plasma.

Throughout its operating history, the firm has navigated multiple volatile market cycles, enduring both euphoric bull markets and protracted crypto winters. Through these fluctuations, Framework has maintained a consistent focus on supporting entrepreneurial teams building foundational infrastructure and consumer-facing products within emerging digital asset markets.

The closing of the new $400 million vehicle continues a well-established fundraising trajectory for the San Francisco firm. Framework previously raised a $100 million second fund in 2021 during a period of massive expansion for decentralized finance, followed by a significantly larger $400 million third fund in April 2022. While those preceding vehicles were deployed almost entirely into crypto-native projects, the latest $400 million fund marks a structural evolution toward multi-sector frontier technologies while retaining its foundational commitment to the digital asset ecosystem.