Silvergate and EJF Launch Joint Venture Fund to Invest in Early-Stage Companies

The investment will anchor in on fintech companies, digital assets, payments, as well as banking and other financial technologies like banking-as-a-service

article-image

Blockworks exclusive art by Axel Rangel

share

key takeaways

  • “The financial industry is undergoing a transformation facilitated by the growth of digital currency and the adoption of blockchain enabled technologies,” Jonathan Bresler, partner and managing director at EJF Capital said
  • Silvergate’s stock was trading at $142.21, down 4.74, or 3.23%, on the day as of 3:41 pm ET

Silvergate Capital and EJF Capital have launched a joint EJF Silvergate Ventures Fund to focus on investing in early-stage companies, the firms said in a statement Thursday. 

The amount of capital that will be deployed through the fund was not disclosed, but it will focus on fintech companies, digital assets, payments as well as banking and other financial technologies like banking-as-a-service. 

The fund will also address the urgent need for capital to support entrepreneurs looking to modernize the current financial system and reshape global commerce, Neal Wilson, EJF co-founder and co-CEO, said in a statement.

Silvergate is the banking partner of the majority of the world’s large digital asset exchanges. As a California state-chartered banking partner, it is the fiat ramp for American traders and, as a result, has over 1,300 clients. EJF Capital is an institutional alternative asset management firm that oversees more than $13 billion in assets under management.

“The financial industry is undergoing a transformation facilitated by the growth of digital currency and the adoption of blockchain enabled technologies,” Jonathan Bresler, partner and managing director at EJF Capital said. 

“As this ecosystem rapidly evolves into a subset of financial services with operational utility, significant investments will be required to build the infrastructure necessary to bridge the gap between the legacy financial system and the financial system of the future,” Bresler added.  

EJF Capital was not available for immediate comment when requested by Blockworks Thursday.

The bank is at a unique intersection between traditional finance and crypto, as its customers are looking for ways to connect fintech to traditional financial institutions, Silvergate’s CEO Alan Lane said to Blockworks. “We’re pleased to work with EJF Capital to support entrepreneurs with the capital they need to launch and grow their businesses,” Lane added.

Silvergate’s stock was trading at $142.21, down 4.74, or 3.23%, on the day as of 3:41 pm ET on Dec. 16.


Get the day’s top crypto news and insights delivered to your inbox every evening. Subscribe to Blockworks’ free newsletter now.


Tags

    Upcoming Events

    Old Billingsgate

    Mon - Wed, October 13 - 15, 2025

    Blockworks’ Digital Asset Summit (DAS) will feature conversations between the builders, allocators, and legislators who will shape the trajectory of the digital asset ecosystem in the US and abroad.

    Industry City | Brooklyn, NY

    TUES - THURS, JUNE 24 - 26, 2025

    Permissionless IV serves as the definitive gathering for crypto’s technical founders, developers, and builders to come together and create the future.If you’re ready to shape the future of crypto, Permissionless IV is where it happens.

    Brooklyn, NY

    SUN - MON, JUN. 22 - 23, 2025

    Blockworks and Cracked Labs are teaming up for the third installment of the Permissionless Hackathon, happening June 22–23, 2025 in Brooklyn, NY. This is a 36-hour IRL builder sprint where developers, designers, and creatives ship real projects solving real problems across […]

    recent research

    Research Report Templates.png

    Research

    The convergence of DePIN and energy generation aims to address modern grid challenges by incentivizing distributed generation.

    article-image

    The deal is likely to fuel further M&A around derivatives trading and infrastructure, Architect Partners’ Michael Klena says

    article-image

    Stripe announced Stablecoin Financial Accounts, which will allow businesses to have “stablecoin-powered accounts”

    article-image

    The deal is made up of $700 million in cash and 11 million shares of Coinbase’s Class A common stock

    article-image

    Blockworks Research uses numbers to help crypto advance to a higher stage of storytelling

    article-image

    While Arizona’s governor could veto another crypto reserve bill, similar North Carolina and Texas laws are approaching the finish line