In crypto history, few projects have stood out for their presale fundraising scale like Tezos, Filecoin, and Polkadot. Between 2017 and 2020, they were the industry’s giants, collecting hundreds of millions in early funding and establishing themselves as pillars of blockchain infrastructure.
But in 2025, those numbers have officially been overtaken, not by another venture-backed chain or a Silicon Valley-backed protocol, but by a retail-powered, decentralized Layer 1 called BlockDAG. With over $299 million raised and a live user base exceeding 1.5 million, BlockDAG is changing the script on how major crypto projects launch. It’s now officially outpaced the total ICO hauls of Tezos ($232M), Filecoin ($233M), and Polkadot ($145M), and it has done so without any VC funding, no legal controversies, and with a working product already in users’ hands.
A Look Back: The ICO Titans BlockDAG Just Surpassed
Before understanding how significant BlockDAG’s achievement is, it’s important to understand the legacy it has now eclipsed.
Tezos ($232M Raised in 2017)
Tezos was a highly anticipated self-amending blockchain project that introduced novel governance features. The project raised $232 million in just under two weeks. However, the ICO structure, which relied on “non-refundable donations” rather than token purchases, sparked controversy. Internal legal battles delayed development, and user trust was put to the test.
Filecoin ($233M Raised in 2017)
Filecoin set the standard for decentralized storage networks. Its $233 million raise was one of the largest of the ICO era. Yet despite its promise, Filecoin was heavily backed by VCs and had a long runway to mainnet launch. Retail investors who participated early were diluted, and adoption took time to materialize.
Polkadot ($145M Raised in 2017)
Polkadot aimed to solve blockchain interoperability. While it successfully raised $145 million, development was slow, and token holders waited years for full rollout. Like many early giants, Polkadot relied on institutional support and had to navigate complex token re-denominations and auctions.
Enter BlockDAG: $299M Raised and No Middlemen
BlockDAG has already raised $299 million, more than any of these projects, and it’s done so entirely through public presale, with no venture capital and no insider allocations.
What makes this achievement even more striking is that BlockDAG hasn’t needed to promise a future product, it already has one. The X1 mobile mining app is live and in use by over 1.5 million users globally, allowing users to mine BDAG coins from their phones, engage with the ecosystem, and participate in daily rewards.
This is not a roadmap waiting to happen, it’s active infrastructure, and it’s giving retail investors first access to a project that’s already gaining traction.
At $0.0276, BlockDAG Offers Real ROI, Not Just Historical Significance
Unlike Tezos, Filecoin, or Polkadot, BlockDAG is still early in its pricing window. Currently in batch 29, BDAG is selling at $0.0276, far below even conservative expectations for post-listing value.
Let’s examine the ROI potential if BDAG reaches just a fraction of what those giants once did:
At $1: That’s a 36.2x return
At $4: You’re looking at 144.9x
At $20: It becomes 724.6x from today’s price
A $1,000 investment today could turn into $36,200, $144,900, or even $724,600, depending on where BDAG settles after launch. And unlike past cycles, where early VC rounds diluted public gains, every token sold so far has gone directly to the public.
No Delays, No Legal Drama, No Institutional Overhang
BlockDAG’s success is also a lesson in what not to repeat. Tezos struggled with lawsuits. Filecoin was delayed by years. Polkadot had to rework its structure mid-cycle. All of them were impressive in theory but complicated in practice.
By contrast, BlockDAG has moved swiftly and transparently. It has:
Raised $299M without hedge funds or VC backing
Delivered a working product before launch
Engaged over 1.5M users in mining and community building
Capped its presale at 45 total batches to avoid overextension
Removed the insider advantage from its tokenomics entirely
This isn’t just another presale. It’s a grassroots-funded infrastructure project operating at the scale of institutions, and doing it cleaner, faster, and more fairly.
Why This Presale Is Just the Beginning
BlockDAG’s fundraising success is a milestone, but it’s not the endgame. With a target to raise $600 million, the project aims to hit the market with one of the largest liquidity pools and user bases of any new chain in recent memory. And because it’s building with the crowd, not just marketing to them, BlockDAG has community strength that paid campaigns can’t buy.
Its value proposition extends beyond hype. The DAG-based architecture is built for speed, security, and scalability. The daily mining rewards offered through the X1 app create habitual user engagement. And the project’s retail-only model ensures no sudden unlocks or centralized exits that usually drag early momentum.
Final Word: The People’s Presale Is Outperforming the Past
BlockDAG’s $299 million milestone isn’t just a headline, it’s a signal. A signal that the crypto market is evolving away from VC-dominated launches, and toward models that reward participation, not privilege.
It has already done what Tezos, Filecoin, and Polkadot did, and then some, without drama, delays, or dilution. It’s setting a new standard for what crypto fundraising can look like: inclusive, transparent, and performance-backed.
The price is still low, the presale is still active, and retail still has time. But the clock is ticking. In a cycle where so many projects are chasing attention, BlockDAG already has it, and it earned every bit.
Presale: https://purchase.blockdag.network
Website: https://blockdag.network
Telegram: https://t.me/blockDAGnetworkOfficial
Discord: https://discord.gg/Q7BxghMVyu
Disclaimer: This is a sponsored article and is for informational purposes only. It does not reflect the views of Crypto Daily, nor is it intended to be used as legal, tax, investment, or financial advice.
