Who Is Bart Stephens? Blockchain Capital Founder and Crypto Venture Capital Pioneer Explained

Bart Stephens is the co-founder and managing partner of Blockchain Capital, a venture capital firm focused on blockchain technology and cryptocurrency. He co-founded the firm with his brother Brad Stephens in 2013, initially under the name Crypto Currency Partners, with the goal of investing in companies building the emerging blockchain ecosystem.

Blockchain Capital has since become one of the established venture investors in the crypto industry. The firm says it has invested in more than 100 companies and crypto assets since its founding and currently manages more than $2 billion in assets.

Early Background and Career

Bart Stephens began his career in technology and financial services. He worked at E*TRADE, where he was involved in corporate development and advanced products. This gave him early exposure to internet-based financial technology during the development of online investing.

He later became a founding investor and Head of Corporate and Business Development at Oncology.com, an internet company that grew into a major network of cancer-related websites before being acquired by Pharmacia, now part of Pfizer, in 2001.

Stephens subsequently joined Ivanhoe Capital Corporation, where he served as Executive Vice President of Venture Capital. He later co-founded Stephens Investment Management with his brother Brad in 2002, where they developed and pioneered a strategy known as “Nanocap” investing.

His experience across technology, venture capital, and public-market investing eventually led him toward Bitcoin and blockchain technology.

How Bart Stephens Created Blockchain Capital

Bart Stephens and his brother Brad began mining Bitcoin in 2012 and became increasingly interested in the potential of blockchain technology. In 2013, the brothers created Blockchain Capital, originally known as Crypto Currency Partners.

The firm was established at a time when cryptocurrency venture capital was still a relatively new concept. Blockchain Capital focused specifically on investing in companies and infrastructure connected to blockchain technology and digital assets.

The firm raised its first dedicated crypto fund in 2014, followed by additional funds as the blockchain industry developed. It also participated in early blockchain projects and became an investor in companies including Coinbase, Kraken, and other major crypto businesses.

Blockchain Capital later became notable for pioneering tokenized venture investing. In 2017, it launched a $10 million tokenized fund and created BCAP, one of the industry’s early security tokens.

How Blockchain Capital Works

Blockchain Capital is a venture capital firm that invests in companies and crypto assets across the blockchain industry. Its investment strategy covers areas including financial infrastructure, decentralized applications, blockchain networks, consumer applications, and other emerging technologies.

The firm provides capital to blockchain companies at different stages of development while also supporting founders through its experience in the technology and financial sectors.

Blockchain Capital has raised multiple investment funds over the years. Its sixth early-stage fund and first Opportunity Fund were announced in 2023, totaling approximately $580 million. The firm says it is now investing from its sixth multi-stage fund and has more than $2 billion in assets under management.

Bart Stephens remains a founder and managing partner, working alongside his brother Brad and the firm’s broader investment team.

Bart Stephens’ Role at Blockchain Capital

As founder and managing partner, Bart Stephens has played a central role in Blockchain Capital’s investment strategy, portfolio development, and long-term direction. The firm’s official profile describes him as one of its founders and one of its most active investors in blockchain technology.

Stephens has focused particularly on identifying emerging technologies and companies that could become important parts of the blockchain ecosystem. His previous experience as a technology entrepreneur, hedge fund manager, and venture capitalist has shaped his approach to investing in early-stage blockchain businesses.

He has also remained involved in the firm’s work with founders and portfolio companies as Blockchain Capital has expanded across multiple cycles of the cryptocurrency market.

Why Bart Stephens Matters in Crypto

Bart Stephens is recognized as one of the early venture capital investors to build an investment firm specifically around blockchain and cryptocurrency.

Blockchain Capital was established in 2013, when institutional venture investment in crypto was still at an early stage. The firm’s early investments helped provide capital to companies developing cryptocurrency exchanges, blockchain infrastructure, decentralized applications, and other foundational technologies.

Stephens’ career also demonstrates the transition of venture capital and technology investing into blockchain. His experience in internet businesses, fintech, hedge funds, and venture capital provided a foundation for evaluating emerging blockchain companies.

Through Blockchain Capital, he has helped finance multiple generations of crypto companies and infrastructure projects, making him a significant figure in the development of the industry’s venture capital ecosystem.