Aria Protocol Labs Inc. and the Aria Foundation announced today they have raised $15 million in combined seed and strategic funding to expand a novel push: bringing revenue-generating, real-world intellectual property (IP) onchain as liquid, fungible tokens. The round includes major participation from Polychain, Neoclassic, the Story Foundation and other strategic partners across crypto, IP and entertainment.
Aria’s approach already has a high-profile proof point. In February 2025 the team launched its first IP-backed token, $APL, which represents partial royalty rights to songs performed by global superstars including Justin Bieber, Miley Cyrus, BLACKPINK and BTS, a move that followed a $10.95 million raise on Stakestone’s LiquidityPad and is being billed as one of the largest music-IP tokenizations to date.
“Onchain IP isn’t just a creative frontier, it’s a financial one,” said David Kostiner, Co-Founder and Chief IP Officer of Aria Protocol Labs Inc. “By turning IP into liquid, fungible tokens with embedded licensing logic, Aria creates capital formation rails that protect creative integrity and reward participation. This $15 million funding enables Aria to continue building programmable IP infrastructure and scaling a new IP economy.”
Scaling Capabilities
Aria is positioning itself to address a growing market challenge: as AI-generated media and rapid digital distribution flood channels with content, demand for authentic, licensed material is rising. The platform embeds attribution, licensing and automated royalty distribution onchain, enabling things like programmable remix licensing, automated revenue splits and community-aligned participation. The fresh funding is intended to scale those capabilities across music, art and film/TV.
“The market is finally waking up to IP as a real-world asset class,” said S.Y. Lee, CEO of Story. “Aria is showing what’s possible when historically illiquid IP is brought onchain in a programmable, rights-respecting way. They are building the future of IP finance and creative capital.”
Aria Foundation, a Cayman-based nonprofit created to steward the protocol, will support developer grants, community initiatives, liquidity programs and other ecosystem efforts designed to help IP holders, creators and fans participate in the new market. Aria Protocol Labs, founded by music-industry veterans, says it will continue rolling out a slate of additional IP token launches across creative verticals.
Industry observers view the fundraising as another sign that investors are increasingly treating IP, especially music royalties, as investable real-world assets that can be unlocked with blockchain primitives. For Aria, the challenge will be balancing liquidity and tradability with rights management and creator protections as the company scales.
