SevenX Ventures is a community and research-driven blockchain investment firm built alongside entrepreneurs. They invest in blockchain startups and projects shaping the future of open finance and decentralized networks. Their portfolio covers more than 100 projects, including DeFi (DODO, Zerion), NFT (Whale, AlchemyNFT), Polkadot ecosystem (Acala, Litentry), AR ecosystem (Koii, Everpay), Near ecosystem (Aurora, Octopus), Web3.0 (YGG, Mask Network), and more.
Li Rongbin: Independent Thinker and NFT Collector
Li Rongbin, known as "Eraser" in the crypto circle, is a founding partner of SevenX Ventures. He holds a double major in Computer Science and Finance from Nanjing University and an MBA from the University of Waterloo. Besides being an investor, he is an active NFT collector. Li specializes in token economic design, valuation methodologies, and investment logic. He recently joined the Bitcoin.com News Podcast to discuss where the metaverse and NFT market are heading.
Metaverse and NFTs: From Speculation to Value Creation
According to Li, the metaverse and NFT market are undergoing a shift from short-term speculation to long-term value creation. He notes that the early NFT market was dominated by speculative activities, but as infrastructure matures and user awareness increases, projects with genuine utility, community stickiness, and cultural value will stand out. The metaverse, as a convergence of digital and physical worlds, requires support from underlying blockchain networks, cross-chain interoperability, and decentralized identity. SevenX Ventures' investments in AR, Near, Polkadot, and other ecosystems are precisely positioned to capture these infrastructure opportunities.
Li emphasizes that NFTs are not just digital artworks; they can serve as identity credentials, membership rights, and in-game asset carriers. His personal NFT collection spans multiple categories, giving him first-hand market experience. He believes that the financial attributes of NFTs (e.g., fractionalization, lending) will develop in parallel with their cultural attributes, but the core remains community consensus and the creator economy.
Immersion Investing: Walking the Long Path with Entrepreneurs
SevenX Ventures' distinctive "immersion investing" strategy sets it apart from traditional venture capital. Instead of just providing capital, the firm engages deeply in project governance, voting, and liquidity support to build long-term partnerships with founders. Li explains that this model requires the investment team to dive into communities, understand user needs, and even use the products themselves, so they can provide timely feedback and resources. For example, in the DeFi project DODO, SevenX not only invested but also helped with market maker network building and economic model optimization. In the NFT project AlchemyNFT, the team assisted in integrating social token use cases.
Li believes that while the crypto market experiences violent cycles, investors focused on long-term value will ultimately be rewarded. He advises founders to concentrate on genuine product-market fit rather than chasing hype. For investors, he recommends deep research into token economics and team execution capability, avoiding herd mentality.
Future Outlook: Cross-Chain, Social, and Gamification
Looking ahead, Li is bullish on three directions. First, cross-chain interoperability will allow NFTs and metaverse assets to flow freely across different blockchains, breaking down silos. SevenX's investments in Polkadot and Near are aimed at this. Second, the combination of social tokens and NFTs will reshape the creator economy, enabling fans to directly support their favorite creators and receive exclusive benefits. Third, GameFi will evolve from simple "play-to-earn" into "play-to-enjoy," balancing fun gameplay with sustainable economic loops.
Li concludes that the crypto industry is still in its early stages, and the narratives around the metaverse and NFTs are just beginning. SevenX Ventures will continue to support entrepreneurial teams advancing the vision of open networks through immersion investing, and looks forward to co-shaping the future with more communities.