H1 2026 Fundraising Overview: Prediction Markets and AI Lead the Pack
According to data released by BlockBeats on July 1, 2026, the 14 largest fundraising rounds globally in the first half of 2026 collectively raised $4.3 billion. The prediction market sector stood out prominently, with Kalshi securing $1.2 billion to top the list, and Polymarket raising $600 million, bringing their combined total to $1.8 billion—over 40% of the total raised by the top 14 deals. This highlights the growing investor appetite for prediction market platforms.
In artificial intelligence, several startups also attracted major funding: Replit raised $400 million, Exa AI secured $250 million, and OpenRouter collected $113 million. These investments underscore the continued convergence of AI and blockchain technologies.
Blockchain Sector Diversification: Infrastructure and DeFi Capital Flows
Within the blockchain space, infrastructure and decentralized finance (DeFi) protocols were the focal points. Canton Network raised $355 million, Arc closed $222 million, and the lending protocol Morpho garnered $175 million. These investments reflect confidence in scalability, privacy compliance, and DeFi fundamentals.
Additionally, payment companies such as Rain and Slash, the real-world asset (RWA) platform Goldcom, and infrastructure/compliance projects like Alpaca and Elliptic also secured spots on the list. Overall, H1 2026 fundraising exhibited strong diversification, with prediction markets and AI dominating, while blockchain infrastructure, payments, RWA, and compliance all received significant capital support.
