Ex-Blockstream Exec Samson Mow Raises $21M for Bitcoin Startup JAN3

Samson Mow, who recently exited his position as chief strategy officer at Blockstream, has started JAN3, with $21 million in funding at a $100 million valuation.

• “JAN3 will be focused on advancing Bitcoin and [layer 2] technologies like Liquid and Lightning, which are the key to mass adoption and a Bitcoin circular economy,” said Mow in a press release. “The company will also support my nation-state Bitcoin adoption initiatives and contribute expertise to infrastructure development projects.”
• Investors in the initial funding round included Alistair Milne, Chun Wang – co-founder of mining firm F2Pool – and El Zonte Capital, an investment company launched by Max Keiser and Stacy Herbert.
• The name of the company refers to the genesis block of Bitcoin, mined on Jan. 3, 2009, by Bitcoin’s pseudonymous founder, Satoshi Nakamoto.
• JAN3 will take over the crypto wallet AQUA, a Bitcoin and Liquid Mobile wallet from Blockstream, as well as non-fungible token (NFT) marketplace Raretoshi.
• Mow’s new company has also signed a memorandum of understanding with the government of El Salvador – which legalized BTC$101.832,26 as legal tender last year – to supply digital infrastructure for the country and Bitcoin City.
• Mow announced his new company Thursday during an appearance at the Bitcoin 2022 Conference in Miami.

Read more: El Salvador President Nayib Bukele Calls Off Bitcoin 2022 Conference Appearance