Recap: AVI Ecosystem Investment Thesis Discussion #1 (12.2.2025)
Yesterday, we hosted the first in a series of calls focused on AVI’s mini-thesis Plaid for Crypto (TL;DR below). This session aimed to:
- Align delegates on AVI’s investment strategy and emerging opportunities.
- Introduce key stakeholders interested in collaborating with AVI.
- Identify concerns and questions to address in follow-up discussions.
During the call (recording here), we introduced two organizations—IPOR and Strobe Ventures (formerly BlockTower Ventures)—to explore their perspectives on the mini-thesis. Both bring strong institutional expertise and track records and are interested in working with Arbitrum Ventures toward the realization of this vision.
Below is a summary of key take-aways.
TL;DR “Plaid for Crypto” Mini-Thesis
Building the infrastructure and liquidity solutions to allow for integration with neobanks and fintechs for mass onboarding.
We’ve made enormous progress as an industry in the past 5 years. We have an ambitious plan that does come with its challenges:
Disconnect between Web3 and Web2:
- Sticky liquidity is needed for enterprise friendly solutions,
- Markets are inefficient
- Liquidity is fragmented
We need a culture shift towards a highly sophisticated, medium risk, medium yield-bearing environment building confidence in DeFi solutions as a viable counterparty.
IPOR Discussion - Strengthening Liquidity and Institutional Integration
Darren Camas from IPOR outlined the protocol’s role in enhancing DeFi liquidity and addressing institutional engagement barriers. IPOR functions as a benchmark rate protocol and has developed IPOR Fusion, an automated system for optimizing capital deployment in lending markets.
Key Challenges Identified:
- Liquidity Stickiness: DeFi liquidity is often transient, shifting due to incentives rather than forming a stable capital base.
- Institutional Barriers: Compliance requirements, KYC restrictions, and fund segregation make it difficult for traditional financial entities to participate in DeFi.
- Bridging Web3 and Web2: Simplified access to DeFi yield products is essential for adoption, particularly through fintech integrations.
- Arbitrum’s Role: IPOR’s presence on Arbitrum suggests that additional liquidity support is needed to attract institutional capital and sustain growth.
How IPOR Can Support Arbitrum Ventures:
- Liquidity Optimization: IPOR Fusion improves capital efficiency by directing liquidity where it is most effective on Arbitrum.
- Institutional Access Solutions: IPOR is exploring regulatory-aligned mechanisms to help institutions engage with DeFi securely.
- Simplified DeFi Yield Access: Through fintech partnerships, IPOR aims to create user-friendly entry points for broader market adoption.
Learn more about IPOR and the type of support they can provide AVI here!
Strobe Discussion - Emerging Investment Themes for Ecosystem Growth
Steven Venino from Strobe Ventures (formerly BlockTower Ventures) emphasized the importance of structured investment strategies to support Arbitrum’s long-term growth. He highlighted specific areas where targeted investment could have the greatest impact.
Investment Priorities:
- Ecosystem-Aligned Investment Frameworks: Strobe has structured LP agreements that tie capital to ecosystem expansion.
- Focus on Onboarding: With DeFi infrastructure maturing, the next focus should be onboarding users via fintech and Web2 integrations.
- Emerging Investment Themes:
- Stablecoin-Based Payments: Utilizing stablecoins for cross-border transactions to increase financial accessibility.
- Traditional Asset Perpetuals: Supporting regulated derivatives markets for more diverse financial instruments.
- AI-Driven Wallets & Zero-Knowledge Tech: Exploring AI-powered financial automation and privacy-focused solutions.
- Liquidity Support for DeFi: Facilitating early-stage capital to projects like Gearbox to strengthen adoption.
How Strobe Can Support Arbitrum Ventures:
- Investment Structuring: Strobe can assist in designing vehicles that align Arbitrum’s capital with high-potential opportunities.
- Aligned Values: Strobe is strongly aligned with AVI’s creation of a venture capital consortium to monitor market trends and shape investment strategies in the Arbitrum ecosystem.
- Liquidity Provisioning: Strobe can help secure co-investments to deepen liquidity for promising protocols.
Learn more about Strobe here!
Want to Get Involved?
- Gain context in the Deliverables Hub, with a special emphasis on “Plaid for Crypto”
- Join us for our upcoming AVI events