Y Combinator will now give founders the option to receive their seed funding in stablecoins, changing how the accelerator sends out money.
From the Spring 2026 batch, startups accepted into YC can choose to take the standard $500,000 seed investment in USDC instead of traditional bank transfers.
The funds can be sent over Ethereum, Solana or Base, according to Nemil Dalal, a visiting partner at Y Combinator who focuses on crypto.
YC’s core deal remains $500,000 for 7% equity, but what changes is the rail the money travels on.
For founders operating outside the United States, especially in markets where they face banking delays and foreign exchange friction, the option is a big win.
Stablecoin transfers settle almost instantly and cost a fraction of traditional wires. In some cases, the difference between waiting days and receiving funds in seconds can affect how quickly a young company gets off the ground.
Dalal said the appeal is strongest in emerging markets, where founders find cross-border payments stressful. Stablecoins remove many of those limitations without changing the economics of the deal.
Inside YC circles, the decision has also led to talks about risk. Founders are usually advised to keep operations predictable wherever possible.
Build boldly, yes, but do not gamble with payroll, compliance or treasury management. Your startup is already risky enough.
That is still part of YC’s thinking. The accelerator is not asking founders to speculate or hold volatile assets. USDC is designed to track the US dollar, and YC is not encouraging startups to manage crypto portfolios. The option is about transfer speed and access, not financial experimentation.
“Stablecoins are one of the key pillars for us,” Dalal said. “So we just want to live and breathe that as well.”
This is the first time a top-tier accelerator has formally offered stablecoins as a default funding option. While crypto-focused venture firms have used similar methods for years, most established investors have stayed with bank wires.
Dalal said he was not aware of any legacy venture capital firms that provide founders with this choice.
“We’re excited for a world where, in the future, we think a lot of startups will eventually start raising capital on-chain,” he said.
In July 2025, President Donald Trump signed a bill that set out regulations for crypto assets in the United States, giving stablecoins a defined legal footing.
That clarity has changed how large institutions view digital dollars, moving them from the edges of finance into day-to-day infrastructure.
Responding to this, technology firms like Stripe completed a $1.1 billion acquisition of stablecoin startup Bridge in February 2025 and later backed its own blockchain built for stablecoin payments.
Cloudflare announced plans to launch a stablecoin in September, while Klarna introduced a payments token in November.
These came during a period when crypto prices were increasing. Since then, the market has cooled. Bitcoin and other major tokens have slid towards multi-month lows, dampening enthusiasm in some corners of the industry.
Dalal argues that the slowdown has not affected interest in stablecoins.
“The excitement on stablecoins is just growing,” he said. “It’s actually agnostic of prices.”
Unlike speculative tokens, stablecoins are now used as plumbing, a way to move money quickly, cheaply and across borders without relying on correspondent banks.
For startups, especially those hiring internationally or paying suppliers in different currencies, the utility is immediate.
YC’s move also aligns with its recent drive to attract more blockchain-focused founders. Last year, the accelerator partnered with Base and Coinbase Ventures to encourage startups building crypto-related products.
Offering funding through the same rails those companies work on brings practice closer to principle.
For now, Y Combinator says the stablecoins funding option is voluntary. Founders who prefer traditional banking can stick with it.
