Mantle’s bold move to grow its ecosystem

In April 2025, Ethereum Layer 2 network Mantle announced the launch of a $200 million ecosystem fund, one of the largest Web3 funding initiatives this year. The fund will support early-stage startups and projects building on Mantle’s high-performance, low-cost infrastructure.

This initiative is backed by BitDAO’s treasury, one of the largest in crypto, and is jointly managed by Mantle and Mirana Ventures — the investment arm of Bybit.

What the fund includes

The $200M will be deployed through a combination of:

• Grants for open-source developers and dApps

• Equity investments in high-potential Web3 startups

• Liquidity incentives for DeFi protocols

• Incubation programs in partnership with accelerators

• Technical and marketing support via Mantle’s core team

Key focus areas include DeFi, on-chain gaming, ZK-based identity solutions, and decentralized infrastructure.

Why Mantle is making waves

Mantle is a modular Ethereum Layer 2 built using OP Stack and EigenDA (a data availability layer), offering:

• Low gas fees

• High throughput

• Full EVM compatibility

• Native support for modular rollup architecture

Since its mainnet launch in mid-2023, Mantle has attracted dozens of dApps and thousands of developers. With this fund, it hopes to position itself as a serious contender among Layer 2s like Arbitrum, Optimism, and Base.

Early results and ecosystem traction

Several projects already building on Mantle include:

• FusionX – a DEX aggregator

• Range Protocol – structured DeFi products

• Galxe and QuestN – Web3 marketing tools

• HyperPlay – a cross-chain game launcher

Mantle’s TVL has grown steadily, and the ecosystem fund is expected to accelerate this trend by attracting new talent and innovation.

A vote of confidence in Web3

In a time of regulatory pressure and market uncertainty, Mantle’s $200M fund is a strong signal that Web3 development is alive and well. By offering real capital and long-term support, Mantle aims to foster sustainable growth rather than short-term hype.

Conclusion: Mantle bets big on builders

With its $200 million ecosystem fund, Mantle is not just supporting projects — it’s shaping the future of Web3 infrastructure. As more developers look for scalable, affordable, and well-funded platforms to build on, Mantle may quickly become a preferred home for the next wave of decentralized innovation.