In the first quarter of 2025, global venture capital funding reached $113 billion, marking the strongest quarter since Q2 2022. Fintech startups showed notable recovery, raising $10.3 billion globally in Q1 2025, the highest since Q1 2023, with an average deal size of $17.7 million. In the United States, 19 fintech startups have raised over $50 million so far in 2025, while 19 US AI startups have surpassed $100 million in funding this year. Crypto venture capital investments surged to $4.73 billion in Q1 2025, the highest level since Q3 2022. The extended reality (XR) sector also attracted attention, with annual XR funding estimated at $1.6 billion and 35% of U.S. adults having tried mobile augmented reality (AR). Meanwhile, gaming mergers and acquisitions (M&A) hit a two-year high, with deal values totaling $4.4 billion in Q1 2025. This surge was led by Scopely’s $3.5 billion acquisition of Niantic's games division, signaling renewed activity in the gaming sector.