DNA Fund, the crypto-focused investment and advisory firm behind early-stage bets on Tether, EOS, and Hedera Hashgraph, is preparing to open its flagship Helix Venture Fund to outside investors. The move comes as the company gears up for a traditional public offering within the next year—part of its strategy to bridge decentralised finance and mainstream capital markets.
Speaking to DL News at Paris Blockchain Week, DNA CEO and co-founder Chris Miglino said the firm reviewed around 1,000 opportunities through Helix in 2024 and invested in just 12—underscoring its high-conviction approach.
“We don’t write a lot of small cheques,” he said. “Somebody has to really love the deal. Then we push it forward.”
DNA’s platform for online investing, called DNA Deal Desk, was launched in late 2024. The firm tokenises its venture investments into SPV units, offering investors access at earlier-stage valuations.
Unlike platforms such as Echo or Legion, Miglino said DNA Deal Desk is not designed for token launches. “It’s a real investment platform,” he said. “We’re not trying to compete—we’re part of a broader shift in how people invest.”
DNA operates five verticals: early-stage advisory, market making, fund management, crypto banking, and global events. Its growing roster of funds includes algorithmic trading products, an AI compute fund using 576 H200s to mine TAO on Bittensor, and a liquid token strategy that rotates through emerging market opportunities. Its neobank targets crypto firms struggling with access to traditional finance.
The firm’s deal pipeline is largely fed through its events business, which remains core to its strategy. “Events keep us plugged into new projects, help us maintain investor relationships, and keep the fundraising engine running,” Miglino said.
Real-world asset tokenisation is another area of interest, with mining and precious metals topping the firm’s radar amid rising geopolitical friction. “We’re meeting companies that are tokenising public equities, essentially offering exposure to things like the S&P 500,” he said. “I think that kind of tokenisation is inevitable.”
While Miglino acknowledged the volatility of crypto markets—“One Fed announcement can flip everything”—he said DNA’s approach is built to perform across conditions. “If the market’s up, we go long. If it’s down, we short. Yield is always there—you just have to know how to find it.”
As for what’s next? “Opening Helix to outside investors is a big milestone,” he said. “And going public will let us build that bridge between TradFi and crypto in a more permanent way.”