British esports organisation Fnatic has announced a strategic partnership, as well as investment, from cryptocurrency asset manager Hivemind Capital.

The deal is part of a funding round that includes a raft of other cryptocurrency organisations, ranging from metaverse platform GuildFi to gaming and Web3 investment fund WW Ventures.

The organisation claims that its new investors will help ‘further tech ambitions’ and allow Fnatic to develop its own Web3 applications. The team will explore scaling digital economies to enhance gaming performance and the quality of gaming experiences.

Fnatic has historically been enthusiastic about diversifying its opportunities in efforts to become a gaming lifestyle brand. Fnatic has its own line of native gaming peripherals, including a line of upcycled chopstick desks in partnership with ChopValue. The organisation also recently released a lengthy lo-fi hip-hop album in collaboration with 40 music producers.

Hivemind is a relatively new company, founded in late 2021 by ex-Citi Bank executive Matt Zhang. The company primarily invests in crypto infrastructure, metaverse, and other Web3 projects. However, Zhang claimed that Fnatic’s global fan base and its place in gaming culture made the team a ‘natural candidate’ for sponsored acceleration of its Web3 efforts.