Zama, a pioneering cryptography startup specializing in fully homomorphic encryption (FHE), has raised $57 million in a Series B funding round, officially becoming the first unicorn in the FHE space with a valuation exceeding $1 billion.
The latest raise was co-led by Blockchange Ventures and Pantera Capital, and brings Zama’s total funding to over $150 million, positioning the company at the forefront of secure blockchain and AI innovation.
What is Fully Homomorphic Encryption (FHE)?
FHE allows computation on encrypted data—meaning sensitive information can remain private even during processing. This breakthrough has major implications across industries like:
- Blockchain (confidential transactions, privacy-preserving smart contracts)
- AI (secure model training)
- Healthcare & defense (secure data handling)
- Cloud computing (privacy without compromising functionality)
Zama’s Mission: Encryption Without Complexity
Zama’s protocol enables developers to build encrypted decentralized applications (dApps) without requiring advanced cryptographic knowledge. Current and future applications include:
- Confidential stablecoins
- Private identity verification
- Encrypted voting/governance for digital network states
- Asset tokenization with embedded privacy
The company’s public testnet is now live, with funds earmarked for the mainnet launch, ecosystem development, and continued research into next-gen cryptographic tools.
Strategic Backing & Industry Confidence
This is Blockchange Ventures’ third and largest investment in Zama. Co-managing partner Ken Seiff commented:
“Not since I first saw Ethereum in 2014 have I seen a company commercializing an entirely new technology with such foundational potential.”
Zama’s $73 million Series A was previously led by Multicoin Capital and Protocol Labs, further underscoring high-profile interest in its privacy-centric approach to computation.
Disclaimer
This content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial, investment, or legal advice. Cryptocurrency trading involves risk and may result in financial loss.