Squid Raises $6M Led by North Island Ventures to Advance Cross-Chain Infrastructure

**Squid has announced strategic funding** to support its continued growth as a cross-chain routing solution. **Key highlights:** - The funding will enable expansion to new chains and development of additional features - Squid's growth reflects the increasing complexity of navigating the multi-chain crypto ecosystem - The platform focuses on user experience, allowing seamless token swaps and transfers across different blockchains - Team hints at new products in development beyond current routing capabilities Squid's cross-chain infrastructure enables users to interact with applications across different chains without multiple transactions or wallets. The strategic investment positions the protocol to scale alongside the broader crypto ecosystem's expansion. [Read the full announcement](https://www.squidrouter.com/blog/squid-strategic-funding)

**Cross-chain infrastructure protocol Squid has closed a strategic funding round** led by North Island VC, with participation from notable investors including: - **Major VCs**: Ripple, Dialectic Group, Borderless Capital, and Scenius Capital - **Strategic angels**: Representatives from Axelar, Ledger, Polymer Labs, Enso, and Peanut The funding builds on Squid's previous backing from prominent investors like a16z, Coinbase Ventures, Variant, Pantera, and Brevan Howard. **What Squid does**: The protocol enables seamless token swaps and transfers across different blockchains using existing DEXs. Users can execute cross-chain transactions—from buying NFTs to accessing DeFi protocols—without multiple wallet signatures or complex processes. The strategic nature of this round, featuring both infrastructure providers and application-layer projects, signals growing institutional interest in cross-chain interoperability solutions.

Squid launched **CORAL** (Cross-chain Order Routing and Auction Layer), an intent-based system that streamlines cross-chain transactions. **How it works:** - Users specify what they want - Squid handles execution automatically - Combines onchain liquidity sources with offchain market maker inventory through Request-For-Quote auctions **Key benefits:** - Reduces transaction steps from multiple to just 2 - 90% lower gas fees - Zero slippage - Faster execution times Currently live on Ethereum, Base, Arbitrum, BNB Chain, and Linea, with Avalanche and Optimism support coming soon. The system supports ETH, USDC, and USDT swaps, even for amounts as small as $5. [Try CORAL](http://app.squidrouter.com)

**Squid has launched its Model Context Protocol (MCP)**, enabling AI agents to execute cross-chain token swaps using natural language commands. **Key capabilities:** - AI agents can now buy, bridge, and trade across 100+ chains - Natural language interface eliminates technical barriers - Seamless cross-chain token swaps without manual transaction signing **Technical integration:** Developers can access full documentation at [Squid's MCP docs](https://docs.squidrouter.com/~/revisions/kgsL0tU1YCtaLv0nvJRr/api-and-sdk-integration/mcp) to integrate the protocol into their AI agents. The MCP builds on Squid's existing infrastructure that connects DEXs across multiple chains, now making these capabilities accessible through conversational AI interfaces.