There’s a quiet problem in fintech right now. Billions of dollars sit idle in platforms that could, in theory, be earning yield through decentralized finance protocols. But actually connecting those platforms to onchain lending and staking products requires custom blockchain engineering that most fintechs simply don’t want to build.
Ground, a startup that emerged from stealth on June 24, thinks it has the answer: an API that lets fintechs, neobanks, wealth managers, and asset managers plug into onchain yield products without touching blockchain infrastructure themselves. The company raised $3.6 million in a pre-seed round co-led by Bain Capital Crypto and ParaFi, with participation from Nascent, Robot Ventures, Chapter One, and Consonant Ventures.
What Ground actually does
The company currently supports several major DeFi protocols, including Aave, Morpho, Maple, and Kamino. These span Ethereum, Solana, and various Layer 2 networks, giving clients access to a range of yield sources across multiple chains.
The business model runs on usage-based fees, meaning Ground earns more as its clients route more capital through the platform.
