Core Insights - Crypto protocols raised $1.9 billion in August, reflecting a 30% decrease from July's $2.67 billion, yet venture capital funding remained stable with $600 million raised from PUMP's public sale [1][2] Group 1: DeFi and Institutional Funding - DeFi protocols led August funding with significant raises, including Portal's $50 million, M0's $40 million Series B, and aPriori's $20 million investment [2] - The third quarter has already surpassed the second quarter's total of $4.54 billion, achieving $4.57 billion in just two months [2] Group 2: AI and Cybersecurity Investments - AI protocols received notable funding, with Everlyn raising $15 million and various AI projects completing seed rounds, indicating a growing interest in decentralized computing and data solutions [3] - Cybersecurity also saw significant investment, highlighted by IVIX's $60 million Series B, marking the largest traditional venture round of the month [3] Group 3: Stablecoin and Payment Infrastructure - Stablecoin infrastructure attracted $58 million in Series B funding through Rain, while payment infrastructure saw diverse funding, including OrangeX's $20 million Series B [4] - The payment category benefits from increasing crypto adoption in commercial applications [4] Group 4: Gaming Sector Developments - Gaming protocols received attention with Overtake's $7 million round and ongoing funding across various projects, supported by the rise of blockchain-based gaming mechanics and token economies [5][6] Group 5: Public Token Sales Trends - Public token sales declined significantly, raising only $30.7 million across seven projects, with notable contributions from Lombard's $6.75 million and Almanak's nearly $11 million [7] - Layer-2 solutions secured strategic investments, with Bitlayer raising $5 million through public token sales and Hemi Labs completing a $15 million growth round [8] Group 6: Overall Market Sentiment - The third quarter's performance indicates sustained institutional interest in the crypto sector, despite monthly fluctuations in funding [9]