A seismic shift is underway in both the structure of digital capital markets and the flow of funding for internet-native projects. Traditional capital formation relied on centralized entities, where venture capital, IPOs, and restricted stock markets which are often available only to a narrow investor base.

Today, fueled by blockchain and tokenization, Internet Capital Markets are democratizing access, enabling any builder to launch a tradable asset for their web app or project in minutes.

❍ Market Scale

Crypto’s global adoption is booming. BlackRock estimates there are now 300 million users and a $3.5 trillion market cap for digital assets as of 2024. This explosive growth signals a fundamental shift in how capital is raised and allocated worldwide.

❍ Mainstream Tokenization

Projects are increasingly bringing real-world assets on-chain. Markets for tokenized U.S. Treasuries have reached nearly $900 million, and real estate projects are unlocking global, liquid ownership. Tokenization is no longer a niche experiment but a mainstream financial innovation.

❍ Retail Onboarding

Launchpads like Pump.Fun and Believe have enabled thousands of new tokens to go live, catalyzing rapid market formation. For example, the JELLYJELLY token on Solana reached a $230 million market cap and $500 million in trading volume within hours of launch. This new infrastructure empowers anyone to participate in early-stage investment opportunities.

❍ Builder Empowerment

Creators can now bypass traditional gatekeepers to share and monetize their app’s vision. By attracting early users and capital directly and transparently, builders are able to iterate faster and bring their ideas to market without waiting for institutional approval.

▨ Why It's Getting Traction

  • Disintermediation: Blockchains eliminate institutional bottlenecks, letting anyone, anywhere, become an early backer in the next big web product.

  • User-Investor Alignment: Tokenized apps foster communities where users act as both consumers and investors, accelerating feedback, viral growth, and sustainable monetization.

  • Lower Barriers, Higher Speed: Platforms make it trivial for builders to launch and for speculators to participate, fueling real-time capital velocity and experimentation on a global scale.

  • Market Validation: Massive trading volumes and rapid price discovery attract attention, funding, and talent. Notably, apps and tokens gain market value from hype, engagement, and transparent traction. Some of examples like $DUPE, LAUNCHCOIN, and $NOODLE on the Believe Launchpad.

  • Real-World Asset Integration: The surge in tokenized assets like stocks, bonds, treasuries, IP, and even physical assets which provides liquidity, fractional ownership, and access previously impossible for most global investors.

▨ How Internet Capital Markets Work

  • Launchpad Model: Internet capital market platforms such as Pump.Fun and Believe allow builders to create a token for their app, idea, or project. The token becomes tradable and available for anyone to purchase, speculate on, or support.

  • Demand Dynamics: Increased activity or attention around a builder or project increases its market cap and trading volume. These funds can directly fuel development or community rewards.

  • Direct Funding: Rather than raising capital from VCs or banks, builders can monetize social buzz. Community members or early users buy in, backing ideas and functioning as participants in product direction.

  • Global, Liquid, 24/7: Internet markets enable real-time price discovery and capital flows, unconstrained by geography or office hours.

▨ Notable Projects & Platforms

  • Believe Launchpad : Believe is an app launchpad focused on social tokens. It has facilitated the launch of over 2,620 tokens, with five of them achieving more than $10 million in trading volume.

    The platform’s native token, LAUNCHCOIN, has seen a remarkable 20x increase in value, highlighting Believe’s growing influence in internet capital markets.

  • Pump.Fun (Solana) : Pump.Fun operates on Solana and enables rapid token creation with an auto-liquidation feature. It supports "IPO-like" launches accessible to everyone, democratizing early-stage investment. One of its notable tokens, JELLYJELLY, reached a $230 million market cap within hours, showcasing the platform’s capacity for rapid market formation.

  • ICP (Internet Computer) : ICP is a Web3 app framework offering scalable hosting for decentralized applications. It boasts a $5.7 billion market cap and $88 million in total value locked (TVL). ICP supports full-stack on-chain apps, positioning itself as a foundational layer for internet-native projects.

  • Goldfinch, Centrifuge, Maple : These protocols specialize in tokenizing real-world assets (RWA), such as private credit and treasuries. They are actively expanding integration with traditional finance (TradFi), bridging the gap between decentralized finance and established financial markets.

  • Texture Capital, Tradeweb, 360X : These platforms focus on tokenized securities and marketplaces, enabling digital securities trading and providing secondary liquidity for private assets. They play a critical role in enhancing market efficiency and accessibility for traditionally illiquid assets.

  • Other Notable Projects : Additional noteworthy projects include ai16z, which offers AI-focused venture capital tokens; USP, specializing in tokenized real estate; and sector-specific initiatives like Elmnts (mineral rights), LCX (diamond tokenization), and Wayru (decentralized broadband), each contributing to the diversification of tokenized asset classes.

Internet money is growing fast, with a $3.5 trillion market cap and over 300 million users worldwide. They include a variety of tokens-from app-specific and social tokens to real-world assets-offered on platforms like Believe, Pump.Fun, and ICP. Thanks to innovations like permissionless launchpads and 24/7 trading, it’s easier than ever for builders and investors to connect and move capital quickly. 

Despite various challenges, Internet Capital Markets offer significant opportunities for early access to novel funding models, empowering global democratization of finance and give confidence to builders and investors moreover everyone to participate in the next wave of digital capital formation.