Crypto venture capital giant Andreessen Horowitz, known as a16z, is opening its first Asia based office in South Korea as it moves to widen its reach across a region seen as one of the most active global hubs for digital assets. The firm stated that Asia has a strong concentration of people using blockchain networks, making the region an important place for direct support of the startups it funds. Anthony Albanese, managing partner of a16z Crypto, said the aim is to help companies expand faster through local partnerships, early customer outreach, and community building efforts tailored to each market.
Seoul Chosen As First Base For Regional Growth
Albanese noted that Asia plays a major part in global crypto activity. Nearly one third of adults in South Korea own digital assets. India remains high in worldwide adoption rankings. Japan has seen its blockchain related activity rise 120% over the past year. Singapore records one of the highest crypto ownership rates anywhere, and 11 of the top 20 countries for adoption are in the region, based on figures from Chainalysis.
Albanese said the opening of the Seoul office marks the start of a longer plan. The firm intends to broaden its presence across more Asian markets, build new support services for the founders it backs, and continue searching for ways to grow its reach in areas where crypto use is rising quickly. He added that the move is about far more than deploying capital. It is about being located where users and developers are already active.
Strong Interest in Asia
The Seoul office will be headed by SungMo Park, who brings experience from Polygon Labs. Park said he will use his network and industry knowledge to guide founders as they enter new Asian markets. He noted on X that many teams do not only need introductions, but also a clear sense of how each market operates.
Fresh data from Sygnum this week adds to the picture of rapid growth. Six in ten surveyed high net worth individuals in Asia said they plan to increase their crypto holdings due to a positive long term outlook. The report also found that 87% of wealthy investors in the region already hold digital assets and roughly half keep more than 10% of their portfolio in the sector.
For a16z, these trends point to a region where user interest, investor appetite, and real world activity are rising at the same time, making Asia a central part of the firm’s global plans.