PayPal and Visa Invested in Crypto Patents First. Let’s See What They’re Up to Now.

PayPal and Visa are two financial services companies that have been active in Cryptocurrency patenting since 2012. Their patent activity has preceded business decisions, including Visa’s Fast Track program that supports integrating third-party blockchain technology into Visa’s platforms and PayPal acquiring Curv and accepting cryptocurrency on its payments platforms. Now, the two companies are putting even more money where their patents are by partnering with Blockchain Capital’s newest venture fund, which is looking to invest $300M in cryptocurrency and blockchain startups. 

Blockchain Capital has previously invested in Coinbase and Ripple, both of which have about 40 patent assets in cryptocurrency. The portfolios of the companies involved suggest that they  understand the value of a patent strategy in business. Blockchain Capital is focusing investments for the new fund in decentralized finance (DeFi) and NFTs. In that case, the fund may look to Securrency, which leads in DeFi patents, or Mythical Games, which builds NFT platforms for online gaming and which has pursued an aggressive patenting strategy since 2020. Keep up with Cryptocurrency companies and their patent portfolios with the Cryptocurrency Patent Forecast®.