Key Takeaways
- • Daniel Howard and Bhavin Vaid have launched Halo Capital with $25 million in capital, targeting early-stage cryptocurrency and digital asset projects across Bitcoin-centric products and decentralized artificial intelligence infrastructure.
- • The New York-based fund has already deployed capital into projects including Bima Labs (developer of Bitcoin-backed stablecoin USBD) and Andrena (a wireless internet provider building decentralized physical infrastructure networks).
- • Halo Capital assembled an advisory board of 20 partners to guide investment decisions and support portfolio companies, emphasizing a research-driven approach to differentiate from existing crypto funds.
- • Alan Howard, the founder's father and British hedge-fund billionaire, established BH Digital (Brevan Howard's crypto arm) in 2021, positioning the family as established institutional players in digital assets; Brevan Howard's crypto fund reported a 20% gain in H1 2024.
- • Daniel Howard acknowledged his family background as an advantage but stressed that Halo's differentiated investment thesis and rigorous research methodology are the primary mechanisms for attracting institutional capital.
Summary
Daniel Howard and Bhavin Vaid have launched Halo Capital, a $25 million venture capital fund focused on early-stage projects within the digital asset ecosystem. Based in New York, the fund targets a broad investment scope that encompasses Bitcoin-centric products and decentralized artificial intelligence infrastructure, reflecting the diversification trend in crypto venture capital.
The fund has already begun deploying capital into select projects. Notable investments include Bima Labs, the developer of USBD, a Bitcoin-backed stablecoin, and Andrena, a wireless internet provider building protocols for decentralized physical infrastructure networks designed to deliver broadband connectivity. To strengthen its value-add proposition, Halo Capital recruited 20 partners to serve as advisors, providing portfolio companies with both strategic guidance and operational support.
Howard and Vaid did not disclose specific investor identities, citing privacy concerns. However, Howard acknowledged that his family background—his father is British billionaire hedge-fund manager Alan Howard—provides institutional credibility and investor access. Critically, Howard emphasized that Halo's differentiated investment approach and research-driven methodology are the primary factors attracting capital, rather than family connections alone. This positioning reflects institutional investor preference for funds with distinctive theses and rigorous analytical frameworks. Vaid reinforced this strategy, noting that many existing crypto funds suffer from inherent biases rooted in their historical investments over the past three to five years, suggesting Halo's fresh perspective addresses a market gap.
The launch occurs within a broader context of established institutional participation in digital assets. Alan Howard previously co-founded BH Digital, the cryptocurrency arm of Brevan Howard Asset Management, in 2021. In mid-2024, Brevan Howard's crypto fund reported a 20% gain in the first half of the year, driven by increased institutional capital inflows and rising cryptocurrency valuations. The establishment of Halo Capital by his son represents a continuation of the Howard family's institutional presence in the digital asset space.
The fund has already begun deploying capital into select projects. Notable investments include Bima Labs, the developer of USBD, a Bitcoin-backed stablecoin, and Andrena, a wireless internet provider building protocols for decentralized physical infrastructure networks designed to deliver broadband connectivity. To strengthen its value-add proposition, Halo Capital recruited 20 partners to serve as advisors, providing portfolio companies with both strategic guidance and operational support.
Howard and Vaid did not disclose specific investor identities, citing privacy concerns. However, Howard acknowledged that his family background—his father is British billionaire hedge-fund manager Alan Howard—provides institutional credibility and investor access. Critically, Howard emphasized that Halo's differentiated investment approach and research-driven methodology are the primary factors attracting capital, rather than family connections alone. This positioning reflects institutional investor preference for funds with distinctive theses and rigorous analytical frameworks. Vaid reinforced this strategy, noting that many existing crypto funds suffer from inherent biases rooted in their historical investments over the past three to five years, suggesting Halo's fresh perspective addresses a market gap.
The launch occurs within a broader context of established institutional participation in digital assets. Alan Howard previously co-founded BH Digital, the cryptocurrency arm of Brevan Howard Asset Management, in 2021. In mid-2024, Brevan Howard's crypto fund reported a 20% gain in the first half of the year, driven by increased institutional capital inflows and rising cryptocurrency valuations. The establishment of Halo Capital by his son represents a continuation of the Howard family's institutional presence in the digital asset space.
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