#Bitcoin Infrastructure Raises $8.5 Million#

Bitcoin infrastructure developer Alpen Labs recently announced the closing of an $8.5 million strategic funding round led by DBA and Cyber Fund, with previous investors Ribbit Capital, Castle Island Ventures, and Geometry continuing to participate. The funds will be used to accelerate the development of Alpen Labs' Bitcoin ZK Rollup project "Strata," which is scheduled to launch its mainnet in 2025. Strata aims to expand and promote the use of Bitcoin, unlocking more utility for it, such as simple self-custody, intuitive and privacy-preserving payments, interoperability, Bitcoin-backed lending and stablecoins, and other on-chain applications. Notably, Alpen Labs had already closed a $10.6 million funding round led by Ribbit Capital in April last year. This latest funding round further demonstrates investor confidence in Alpen Labs and its Bitcoin ZK Rollup project Strata, and also reflects the market's emphasis on Bitcoin infrastructure development. Strata will be open to the public starting next month with the upcoming release of its testnet, providing users with a more in-depth experience and broader range of application scenarios.