A16z backs EigenLayer’s EigenCloud rollout with $70 million EIGEN investment

EigenLayer has introduced a new platform called EigenCloud, designed to bring verifiability and transparency to both blockchain-native and traditional applications.

The launch, announced on June 17 in a statement shared with CryptoSlate, introduces a unified system that leverages the power of EigenLayer’s ecosystem, including its native EIGEN token.

Eigen Labs CEO Sreeram Kannan stated that EigenCloud represents a leap forward in blockchain programmability because it makes “virtually anything verifiable on-chain.”

He added:

“EigenCloud will enable the next generation of disruptive, mass-market crypto apps, closing the gap between what developers want to build onchain and what blockchains allow them to build…It opens up the opportunity for developers to build highly ambitious products like disintermediated digital marketplaces, onchain insurance, fully onchain games, automated adjudication, powerful prediction markets, and verifiable AI.”

However, access to the platform is initially limited to a selected group of developers, with broader availability expected later in the year.

EigenCloud

According to the statement, the platform’s core innovation lies in transforming verifiability into a programmable service layer.

It allows developers to create applications that can prove what occurred, why it happened, and confirm its accuracy, regardless of whether the data is on-chain or off-chain.

To achieve this goal, EigenCloud merges all existing third-party Autonomous Verifiable Services (AVSs) with in-house developer primitives like EigenDA (for data availability), EigenVerify (for dispute resolution), and EigenCompute (for computation).

Meanwhile, one of EigenCloud’s standout features is its ability to offer verifiable computation for off-chain processes, similar to what Layer 1 chains offer on-chain. This allows developers to build applications that rely on external data or computation without compromising integrity.

In addition, the system is also designed with incentives in mind. EIGEN token holders can stake their assets to help secure applications and earn rewards for platform activity. This model creates a direct link between protocol participation and real-time utility.

Andreessen Horowitz acquires $70 million EIGEN token

Venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz (a16z) has invested an additional $70 million in EIGEN tokens to support the rollout of EigenCloud and the broader EigenLayer ecosystem. This follows its $100 million Series B investment in Eigen Labs in 2024.

The added capital will help accelerate developer adoption and scale the platform’s crypto economic incentives, particularly for EIGEN stakers, who can now earn yield by securing decentralized applications.

Ali Yahya, general partner at a16z crypto, said the firm sees EigenLayer as a solution to blockchain’s long-standing limitations. He said:

“EigenLayer is surmounting the technical bottlenecks of blockchains to enable a new category of applications built on verifiable solutions.”

However, despite the growing institutional interest, the EIGEN token is experiencing a price dip.

According to CryptoSlate’s data, the digital asset has dropped over 11% in the past 24 hours and nearly 30% in the past month. As of writing, EIGEN trades at roughly $1.15, down more than 80% from its December 2024 peak of $5.65.

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