Y Combinator to offer seed investment in stablecoins

Y Combinator (YC), the influential Silicon Valley startup accelerator, will soon give startups accepted into its program the option to receive their seed investment in stablecoins, YC crypto partner Nemil Dalal told The Block.

YC’s standard deal invests $500,000 into each startup it accepts in exchange for 7% equity. That investment will now be available on three blockchains — Base, Solana, and Ethereum — starting with the accelerator’s upcoming spring batch.

Dalal said stablecoin transfers are often more effective, specifically for founders working in emerging markets. The move also follows through on YC’s own embrace of the technology: last fall, the accelerator partnered with Base and Coinbase Ventures to encourage founders to build more blockchain-related companies.

The shift comes as interest in blockchain technology rises again in Silicon Valley, coinciding with the U.S. moving toward more formal, crypto-friendly regulation of the industry.

Why it matters

Blockchain interest is resurging in Silicon Valley as U.S. regulation turns more crypto-friendly, and Y Combinator’s shift suggests accelerators are starting to treat stablecoin rails as a practical funding tool, particularly for founders in emerging markets who may benefit from faster transfers.