YC startups can now receive investment in stablecoin

https://techcrunch.com/2026/02/03/yc-startups-can-now-recieve-investment-in-stablecoin/

Dominic-Madori Davis Feb 03, 2026 · 1 min read
YC startups can now receive investment in stablecoin
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All startups accepted into YC will soon have the option to receive their seed checks via stablecoins, crypto YC partner Nemil Dalal told The Block.

YC’s famous “standard deal” is that it invests $500,000 into startups accepted into its program in exchange for 7% of their companies. Now that deal is hitting the blockchain (Base, Solana, and Ethereum, to be exact), starting with the upcoming spring batch.

Dalal said that stablecoin transfers are often more effective, specifically for founders working in emerging markets. But also, YC is putting its money where its mouth is, so to speak. Last fall, YC partnered with Base and Coinbase Ventures to encourage founders to build more blockchain-related companies.