Grvt, the zero-knowledge (ZK) powered decentralized exchange, has closed a $19 million Series A round to accelerate its mission to reshape the fragmented onchain finance ecosystem. The funding strengthens its position as a global blueprint for privacy-first, scalable, and accessible blockchain trading.

As blockchain adoption surges, onchain trading is booming. Ethereum’s August onchain volume exceeded $320 billion—the highest since mid-2021—and the DeFi sector is projected to leap from $32.36 billion in 2025 to over $1.5 trillion by 2034. Yet the space remains plagued by privacy vulnerabilities, security gaps, and inefficiencies, including front-running, MEV attacks, siloed liquidity, and complex interfaces for casual users.

Grvt aims to tackle these challenges head-on with a privacy-by-default DEX that leverages ZK technology, giving traders and investors trustless, scalable, and secure access to onchain markets.

Strategic Series A Backers

The round was co-led by:

• ZKsync, Grvt’s foundational technology partner
• Further Ventures, Abu Dhabi-based capital markets infrastructure investor
• EigenCloud, provider of verifiable cloud solutions for blockchain
• 500 Global, a global VC firm with $2.3B in AUM

The investment will fuel Grvt’s multi-pronged product strategy, including:

• Fixed Yield Generation Flywheel: Effortlessly move funds between trading, funding, and vault accounts for maximum returns.
• Privacy-First Infrastructure: Strengthening zero-knowledge protocols to secure user activity onchain.
• Stablecoin-Enabled System: Cross-exchange vaults and real-world asset (RWA) integrations to enhance liquidity and usability.

Remaining funds will support global expansion, community initiatives, and talent acquisition.

Industry Experts Endorse Grvt’s ZK Approach

Hong Yea, Grvt CEO, said: “Onchain finance has been held back by privacy gaps. By building a privacy-driven, scalable, trustless DEX, Grvt shows how ZK-powered solutions will become the new normal for trading and investing.”

Alex Gluchoski, Matter Labs CEO, added: “ZK is the ‘HTTPS moment’ for crypto. Grvt is uniquely positioned to be the most liquid and impactful application layer in realizing this vision.”

Faisal Al Hammadi of Further Ventures noted: “Grvt demonstrates how cutting-edge cryptography can underpin markets at institutional scale, supporting a borderless financial system.”

ZK Technology: The Backbone of Mainstream Onchain Finance

Grvt operates a ZKsync Validium L2 blockchain, combining Ethereum-level security with off-chain scalability. Key advantages include:

• Privacy: L2 states validated without publishing, shielding users from exploits.
• Security: ZK proofs guarantee transaction validity, inheriting Ethereum’s security.
• Scalability: Processes significantly more transactions than Ethereum’s base layer.
• Accessibility: Cheaper settlements by batching off-chain transactions while posting proofs on-chain.

By integrating with EigenDA, the leading Ethereum data availability solution, Grvt ensures scalable, verifiable, and privacy-compliant operations—solving the long-standing tension between data availability and privacy.

Looking Ahead

Grvt plans to launch a fixed-yield product offering 10% returns and introduce its flagship Grvt Liquidity Provider (GLP) strategy for double-digit APRs, previously limited to institutional investors. Combined with its -1 bps maker fee rebate and privacy-first design, Grvt is positioning itself as the next-generation platform for global onchain finance.

With this Series A, Grvt not only strengthens its technology stack but sets a precedent for ZK-powered, institution-ready decentralized finance, paving the way for secure, private, and scalable trading for mainstream users.