Surf Raises $15M to Build AI Model Tailored to Crypto Research

Core Insights - Surf, an AI research platform focused on digital assets, has successfully raised $15 million in a funding round led by Pantera Capital, with participation from Coinbase Ventures and Digital Currency Group (DCG) [1] - The funds will be utilized to develop Surf 2.0, an upgraded version of its AI model tailored for cryptocurrency analysis, and to enhance its enterprise offerings [1] Company Overview - Surf positions itself as an alternative to general-purpose large language models (LLMs) by training proprietary systems specifically for digital asset analysis, utilizing crypto-native datasets [2] - The platform employs a multi-agent setup that analyzes various inputs, including social sentiment, on-chain activity, and market behavior, providing outputs through a chat-style interface to reduce manual research efforts [2] Product Development - Surf 2.0 will feature a more advanced model, expanded proprietary datasets, and new agents designed to perform multi-step workflows typically managed by experienced analysts [3] - Surf Enterprise will offer dedicated infrastructure and enhanced security tools to meet institutional requirements [3] Performance Metrics - Since its launch in July, Surf has achieved millions in annual recurring revenue, produced over 1 million research reports, and experienced a 50% month-over-month growth, with usage by 80% of top exchanges and research firms [4]