VeryAI, a startup developing privacy-first palm biometrics for distinguishing real humans from AI-generated bots and deepfakes, raised $10 million in seed funding. The company announced the round on March 12, 2026. Polychain Capital led the investment, with participation from Berggruen Institute, Anagram, and several angel investors. VeryAI builds infrastructure that verifies human identity at internet scale using palm scans via standard phone cameras.
Funding Overview
VeryAI secured $10 million in seed funding to advance its Proof of Reality platform. Polychain Capital invested as the lead investor in VeryAI. Berggruen Institute invested in VeryAI. Anagram invested in VeryAI. Multiple angel investors also participated in the round.
The funding supports development of palm-based verification tools. These tools target financial apps, crypto exchanges, and other platforms facing bot and deepfake challenges. CEO Zach Meltzer shared details exclusively with Axios. In related industry developments, Kled AI Secures $5.5 Million in funding, highlighting growing investor interest in AI infrastructure and verification technologies as concerns around bots and synthetic identities continue to rise.
Key funding facts:
- Round type: Seed.
- Amount: $10 million.
- Announcement date: March 12, 2026.
- Primary use: Expand integrations and add fraud detection features.
About the Company
VeryAI develops a palm-based identity verification platform. The company defines its core technology as privacy-first palm biometrics combined with cryptographic identity proofs. Users scan their palms through partner apps using standard phone cameras.
The system analyzes principal lines and creases in the palm, offering more surface area than fingerprints. It requires a randomized hand gesture to confirm physical presence. This blocks screenshots, recordings, and AI-generated spoofs.
VeryAI deploys via a software development kit (SDK) for existing mobile apps. Partners avoid hardware-based scanners. The company stores an irreversible mathematical representation of palms, not images.
Performance claims:
- False acceptance rate: 1 in 10 million per single-hand scan.
- Comparison: Apple’s Face ID at 1 in 1 million.
VeryAI charges partners per registration and re-verification. Its largest early customer is crypto exchange MEXC, which uses the system for withdrawal verification instead of one-time codes. The company targets crypto platforms first, with discussions underway for banks and government agencies. CEO Zach Meltzer previously worked on on-chain identity tools at Galxe.
Investors
Polychain Capital led the seed round for VeryAI.
Participating investors include:
- Berggruen Institute.
- Anagram.
- Angel investors: Toly, ASvanevik, ilmoi, CharlesWayn, harryhrz, segfaultdoctor, crispheaney, paul_schmidt, afdtaxm, zqinfo1, and others.
These investors back VeryAI’s mission to verify humanity online amid rising AI threats.
Market Context
Financial apps and crypto exchanges face bot accounts, multifactor-authentication fatigue, and AI spoofing. AI generates faces, voices, and online personalities instantly, eroding trust online.
Crypto platforms experience high fraud pressure, including Sybil attacks. Prior identity solutions proved too restrictive or insufficient. VeryAI addresses this with scalable, privacy-focused verification.
The company starts with crypto but eyes broader adoption. Early traction includes MEXC’s rollout for secure withdrawals. In related industry developments, Ark Labs Raises $5.2M to expand Bitcoin-focused programmable finance infrastructure, reflecting continued investment in security and identity solutions across the crypto ecosystem.
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