Key Takeaways
- Ryder, a company focused on user-friendly crypto security, has successfully closed a $3.2 million seed funding round.
- The funding round was led by Tim Draper of Draper Associates, with participation from other notable venture capital firms and angel investors.
- The funds will be allocated to scaling production, expanding the engineering and marketing teams, and advancing the development of Ryder’s flagship product, the Ryder One hardware wallet.
- Ryder One introduces TapSafe recovery, a novel system that distributes wallet backup across mobile devices and NFC tags to enhance security and eliminate single points of failure found in traditional seed phrases.
- The company aims to simplify cryptocurrency self-custody and integrate digital assets into everyday transactions through its intuitive hardware wallet and companion app.
Ryder Secures $3.2 Million Seed Funding to Revolutionize Crypto Security
Singapore, Singapore, October 18th, 2025 — Ryder, a company dedicated to making cryptocurrency security accessible and straightforward, announced the successful closure of its $3.2 million seed funding round. This significant investment was spearheaded by Tim Draper, the renowned Founder of Draper Associates, signaling strong confidence in Ryder’s mission and innovative approach to crypto self-custody.
The funding round saw active participation from prominent venture capital firms including Borderless Capital, Semantic Ventures, Smape, and VeryEarly. Additionally, influential angel investors such as Anatoly Yakovenko, Co-founder of Solana, and Joe McCann, CEO of Asymmetric, contributed to the round, underscoring the project’s strong backing from industry leaders.
Strategic Allocation of Funds for Growth and Innovation
Ryder plans to strategically deploy the newly acquired capital to accelerate its growth trajectory. Key areas of investment include ramping up the production of its flagship hardware wallet, Ryder One, to meet increasing demand. Furthermore, the company will focus on scaling its marketing and engineering departments to enhance product development and expand its market reach.
A significant portion of the funding is earmarked for a comprehensive marketing push aimed at raising brand awareness and educating consumers about the benefits of secure, user-friendly crypto management. This strategic investment will also fuel further research and development, ensuring Ryder One remains at the forefront of hardware wallet technology.
Rethinking Crypto Self-Custody with Ryder One
The impetus behind Ryder’s creation stems from a desire to address the inherent complexities and vulnerabilities associated with traditional crypto self-custody methods. Louise Ivan Payawal, co-founder and CEO of Ryder, highlighted the fragility of relying solely on seed phrases, which can be a single point of failure for an entire crypto portfolio.
“We created Ryder because we experienced firsthand how fragile and intimidating self-custody can be,” stated Payawal. “For too long, crypto has relied on seed phrases – a single piece of paper that could decide the fate of your entire wallet.”
Marvin Janssen, co-founder and CTO of Ryder, elaborated on the company’s vision to simplify the user experience. “With Ryder One, we set out to make crypto feel natural and human – as easy as tapping your phone. By simplifying the overall experience and rethinking recovery, we’re opening the door for anyone, anywhere to truly and confidently own and use crypto.”
Introducing TapSafe Recovery: A New Standard in Wallet Security
A key innovation introduced by Ryder One is its TapSafe recovery system. This robust solution decentralizes wallet backups, spreading them across multiple mobile phones and coin-sized NFC Recovery Tags. To restore access to a wallet, these physical backups must be brought together, offering a redundant and self-custodial approach that eliminates the single point of failure characteristic of seed phrases.
This innovative recovery method ensures that customers can create and back up their crypto wallets securely in under 60 seconds, offering unparalleled ease of use without compromising on security. The offline design of the hardware wallet further protects users’ holdings from online threats.
Tim Draper Endorses Ryder’s Approach to Security and Accessibility
Tim Draper, a seasoned investor and digital asset enthusiast, expressed his strong endorsement of Ryder’s product and vision. He emphasized the critical need for crypto solutions that balance high security standards with ease of use, a gap that Ryder One effectively fills.
“What the crypto industry needs more than anything right now are solutions that don’t require in-depth technical knowledge while maintaining high security standards,” Draper commented. “This is exactly what I saw in Ryder’s hardware wallet with its minute-or-under set-up and offline design that keeps users’ holdings safe.”
Future Vision: Integrating Crypto into Everyday Life
Ryder’s commitment to simplifying self-custody is evident in their mission. Julien Neree, CPO of Ryder, shared the team’s dedication, stating, three years, countless iterations, one mission: to make self-custody effortless for everyone.”
Looking ahead, Ryder is expanding its focus to encompass everyday use cases, enabling users to directly utilize cryptocurrency from their hardware wallet. The company’s companion app is being developed to support seamless, real-world transactions, such as tap-to-pay functionalities, thereby guiding the integration of digital assets into the daily lives of billions.
About Ryder
Ryder is at the forefront of transforming how individuals interact with cryptocurrency by developing world-class products that enhance safety, simplicity, and social integration. The company’s flagship product, Ryder One, offers a tap-based user experience, making the process of securing and utilizing crypto as effortless as using a smartphone. Founded by crypto veterans Louise Ivan Payawal and Marvin Janssen, and bolstered by Julien Nerée’s decade-plus experience in consumer electronics, Ryder is poised to lead the next wave of digital asset adoption.
Ryder has garnered significant support from leading crypto investors, including Tim Draper of Draper Associates, Borderless Capital, Semantic Ventures, Smape, VeryEarly, Anatoly Yakovenko of Solana, and Joe McCann of Asymmetric.
Contact Information
Marketing Lead
Nisheta Sachdev
Ryder
[email protected]