tl;dr
A crypto startup is reshaping stock trading with blockchain tech, securing $11.5M to bridge traditional finance and digital markets through innovative infrastructure.
**Block Street Raises $11.5M to Revolutionize On-Chain Stock Trading with New Infrastructure**
A new crypto infrastructure startup, Block Street, has secured $11.5 million in funding to develop what it calls an “execution layer for on-chain stocks,” aiming to bridge the gap between traditional financial markets and blockchain technology. The round was led by Hack VC, with additional support from Generative Venture, DWF Labs, and executives from firms like Jane Street and Point72.
Block Street’s vision is to make trading tokenized stocks as fast, reliable, and efficient as traditional markets. At the core of its solution is **Aqua**, a system built on the Monad blockchain that leverages a request-for-quote (RFQ) model. This approach allows market makers to compete for the best price, with quotes cryptographically signed and verified on-chain to prevent manipulation or delays. By embedding these mechanisms directly into the blockchain, Block Street claims to enhance transparency and fairness in tokenized asset trading.
Complementing Aqua is **Everst**, a lending and liquidation tool tailored for tokenized equities. Everst enables users to borrow, short, or hedge these assets while reducing “MEV leakage”—a term referring to the loss of value due to miner extractable value in decentralized systems. The company emphasizes that this setup transforms tokenized assets from speculative instruments into functional, risk-managed tools.
“Our mandate is infra, not just an app,” said Hedy Wang, co-founder of Block Street. “Monad’s parallel EVM gives us the settlement guarantees and latency budget institutions expect, while Aqua and Everst push best-execution and equity-native risk controls directly on-chain.”
The startup plans to launch its platforms on Monad later this year, with future expansions to Ethereum, BNB Chain, and Base as integrations mature. Block Street’s team includes veterans from Citadel, Point72, and Google, underscoring its focus on institutional-grade solutions. The company also intends to publish transparency dashboards to demonstrate how its execution outperforms automated market-makers (AMMs) in speed and efficiency.
As the crypto industry continues to evolve, Block Street’s approach highlights a growing trend: building infrastructure that aligns blockchain capabilities with the reliability of traditional finance. By prioritizing speed, security, and risk management, the startup aims to position tokenized stocks as a viable alternative for institutional and retail investors alike.