GCL New Energy Investment Values Pharos Blockchain at Nearly $1B

Edgen Crypto·Mar 19 2026, 08:13

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Key Takeaways

Pharos, a Layer 1 blockchain, finalized a strategic investment from Hong Kong-listed GCL New Energy (HKEX: 0451), valuing the project at nearly $1 billion. The deal, completed on March 13, 2026, pioneers a new model for Web3 projects to gain validation and capital from public markets, with a strategic focus on tokenizing Real-World Assets (RWAs) in the energy sector.

Public Market Validation: Publicly-listed GCL New Energy finalized an investment in Pharos, assigning the Layer 1 blockchain a valuation of nearly $1 billion.
Regulatory Milestone: The transaction required full disclosure to the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, setting a precedent for Web3 protocols seeking capital and validation from regulated financial markets.
Strategic Focus on RWAs: The partnership will apply Pharos's blockchain infrastructure to commercialize Real-World Assets (RWAs), specifically targeting GCL's extensive energy market operations.

GCL Investment Values Pharos at Nearly $1 Billion

Layer 1 blockchain Pharos secured a strategic investment from GCL New Energy (HKEX: 0451), a publicly-listed energy firm, giving the crypto infrastructure project a valuation of nearly $1 billion. The deal was finalized on March 13, 2026, following an initial announcement on January 8. The investment provides Pharos with significant capital to commercialize its platform, which is designed for institutional-grade financial applications and the tokenization of real-world assets (RWAs).

Deal Sets New Precedent for Web3 Capital Formation

This transaction establishes a new blueprint for how decentralized protocols can interface with mainstream capital. Unlike typical venture capital funding rounds, the deal's finalization required Pharos to complete regulatory disclosure procedures with the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (HKEX). By meeting the transparency standards of public market regulators, Pharos has demonstrated a viable path for other Web3 projects to gain validation and funding from traditional institutional investors. This event signals a maturing of the digital asset space, codifying technical value into a framework recognized by global financial institutions.

Partnership Targets Energy Sector RWA Commercialization

The collaboration between Pharos and GCL New Energy will focus on integrating blockchain technology with real-world energy infrastructure. GCL is an industry leader in 'Power-Compute Integration,' which combines AI computing with energy systems. The partnership aims to use Pharos's high-throughput blockchain to improve asset settlement and transparency for RWAs in the energy sector, creating new digital asset markets backed by tangible economic activity. The project, built by former Ant Group engineers, is also backed by Hack VC and Faction VC.

Expanding our partnership with GCL New Energy is an important milestone for Pharos. This collaboration brings together Web3 infrastructure and a global energy leader to explore how blockchain technology can be integrated into real-world industries.

— Wish Wu, Co-Founder and CEO of Pharos.