Block Street Raises $11.5M to Build ‘Execution Layer for On-Chain Stocks’

A new crypto infrastructure startup called Block Street has raised $11.5 million to build what it calls an “execution layer for on-chain stocks.” The funding round was led by Hack VC, with backing from Generative Venture, DWF Labs and others including executives from firms like Jane Street and Point72. Block Street’s pitch is that trading tokenized stocks should feel as fast and reliable as traditional markets. Its system, called Aqua, is built on Monad, and uses a request-for-quote (RFQ) model where market makers compete to offer the best price. These quotes are cryptographically signed and verified onchain to prevent manipulation or delays. Another part of the stack, Everst, introduces lending and liquidation tools designed specifically for tokenized equities, allowing users to borrow, short, or hedge these assets. The company says this setup reduces “MEV leakage” and makes tokenized assets more functional, not just speculative. “Our mandate is infra, not just an app,” said Hedy Wang, co-founder of Block Street. “Monad’s parallel EVM gives us the settlement guarantees and latency budget institutions expect, while Aqua and Everst push best-execution and equity-native risk controls directly on-chain.” Block Street plans to go live on Monad later this year, expanding to Ethereum, BNB Chain and Base as integrations mature. The team, which includes veterans from Citadel, Point72 and Google, plans to publish transparency dashboards showing how much better their execution is compared to automated market-makers. Read more: Crypto Infrastructure Firm Zerohash Raises $104M in Round led by Interactive Brokers, Morgan Stanley