Key Takeaways
- • HelloTrade, founded by former BlackRock digital assets directors Kevin Tang and Wyatt Raich, closed a $4.6 million seed funding round led by Dragonfly Capital with participation from Mirana Ventures and angel investors.
- • The blockchain-powered trading platform aims to democratize access to U.S. equities, commodities, and leveraged trading instruments for overseas investors in markets like Vietnam and Indonesia who currently face barriers through traditional brokerage systems.
- • The platform is built on MegaETH and designed to eliminate friction points including wallet management, gas fees, and technical jargon that complicate crypto-native trading experiences.
- • HelloTrade's product remains in development with an expected launch at year-end 2025 or early 2026; the company currently operates with approximately 10 employees.
- • The venture positions itself as a superior alternative to existing retail platforms like Robinhood and Revolut by emphasizing mobile-first design and simplified user interface for global access to traditional asset classes.
Summary
HelloTrade, a blockchain-powered trading platform founded by Kevin Tang and Wyatt Raich—both former digital assets specialists at BlackRock—has announced the successful closure of a $4.6 million seed funding round. The round was led by Dragonfly Capital, with support from Mirana Ventures and multiple angel investors. The funding announcement positions HelloTrade within a broader fintech movement aimed at leveraging blockchain infrastructure to reduce barriers in global capital markets access.
Tang and Raich identified a critical market inefficiency while working at BlackRock: retail investors in emerging markets lack practical access to U.S. equities and other traditional assets due to limitations inherent in existing brokerage infrastructure. The co-founders observed that residents of countries such as Vietnam and Indonesia face structural difficulties purchasing assets like Tesla stock through conventional channels. HelloTrade's value proposition centers on solving this problem through blockchain technology and a mobile-first platform design.
The platform's scope extends beyond equity access to include commodities trading and perpetual futures contracts, which provide leveraged exposure exceeding the cash collateral deposited on the platform. HelloTrade differentiates itself from competitors like Robinhood and Revolut by emphasizing streamlined user interface design and reduced friction in transaction execution. Built on the MegaETH network, the platform is engineered to eliminate common pain points including wallet management requirements, gas fee complexity, and technical jargon that typically accompanies crypto-native trading systems.
According to Tang, the addressable market opportunity is substantial, with potential to unlock participation from billions of globally distributed investors. The founder stated in an interview with Fortune: "We see a huge market opportunity to make these traditional assets such as stocks and commodities accessible to anyone around the world with an internet connection. We believe that the next frontier of blockchain adoption will be the movement of these traditional markets on chain."
The platform has not yet launched commercially, though Tang indicated availability by year-end 2025 or early 2026. HelloTrade currently operates with a team of approximately 10 employees. The funding round provides capital to accelerate product development, expand headcount, and establish initial market presence ahead of the anticipated launch window.
Tang and Raich identified a critical market inefficiency while working at BlackRock: retail investors in emerging markets lack practical access to U.S. equities and other traditional assets due to limitations inherent in existing brokerage infrastructure. The co-founders observed that residents of countries such as Vietnam and Indonesia face structural difficulties purchasing assets like Tesla stock through conventional channels. HelloTrade's value proposition centers on solving this problem through blockchain technology and a mobile-first platform design.
The platform's scope extends beyond equity access to include commodities trading and perpetual futures contracts, which provide leveraged exposure exceeding the cash collateral deposited on the platform. HelloTrade differentiates itself from competitors like Robinhood and Revolut by emphasizing streamlined user interface design and reduced friction in transaction execution. Built on the MegaETH network, the platform is engineered to eliminate common pain points including wallet management requirements, gas fee complexity, and technical jargon that typically accompanies crypto-native trading systems.
According to Tang, the addressable market opportunity is substantial, with potential to unlock participation from billions of globally distributed investors. The founder stated in an interview with Fortune: "We see a huge market opportunity to make these traditional assets such as stocks and commodities accessible to anyone around the world with an internet connection. We believe that the next frontier of blockchain adoption will be the movement of these traditional markets on chain."
The platform has not yet launched commercially, though Tang indicated availability by year-end 2025 or early 2026. HelloTrade currently operates with a team of approximately 10 employees. The funding round provides capital to accelerate product development, expand headcount, and establish initial market presence ahead of the anticipated launch window.
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