Bermuda-based bitcoin life insurer Meanwhile closed a $37.5 million round led by Bain Capital Crypto, with Haun Ventures, Framework Ventures, Pantera Capital, Apollo, Northwestern Mutual Future Ventures, and Morgan Creek Digital participating. The raise lifts total funding past $180 million and follows an $82 million round last October co-led by Bain Capital Crypto and Haun Ventures, plus a $40 million Series A earlier in 2025. Sam Altman is among earlier backers.
The product sits at an unusual intersection of regulated insurance and a bitcoin-denominated balance sheet. Meanwhile keeps reserves and audited financials in BTC, holds policyholder funds with regulated institutional custodians, and writes whole-life policies whose death benefit pays out in bitcoin. Single-premium structure lets holders lock in long-term BTC exposure while pre-funding a tax-efficient inheritance wrapper.
Why it matters
Meanwhile received its Class IILT license from the Bermuda Monetary Authority in July 2024 after a two-year sandbox stint, and that regulatory posture is the wedge it sells to wealth managers. The new BTC Life 1-Pay product, a single-premium whole-life policy available outside the U.S., targets families that already hold bitcoin and need a regulated channel to transfer it across generations. Co-founder and CEO Zac Townsend framed the demand directly: "Wealthy families around the world already hold bitcoin. What they haven't had is a regulated way to pass it on." Policyholders can borrow up to 90% of the cash value after the first year, with no repayment schedule and no margin calls, a liquidity feature closer to a pledged-asset line than a traditional insurance loan.
The participating roster reads like a who's-who of digital-asset allocators. Re-ups from Bain Capital Crypto and Haun Ventures, alongside Apollo and Northwestern Mutual Future Ventures, signal the regulatory and actuarial thesis is holding up under audit.
Market impact
Meanwhile ended 2025 with 1,183 BTC in total assets, up more than fivefold year-on-year, and 759 BTC in statutory capital and surplus.
Frequently asked questions
-
Who led Meanwhile's $37.5M funding round?
Bain Capital Crypto led the round, with Haun Ventures, Framework Ventures, Pantera Capital, Apollo, Northwestern Mutual Future Ventures, and Morgan Creek Digital all participating. The raise brings Meanwhile's total funding past $180 million.
-
What is Meanwhile's bitcoin life insurance product?
Meanwhile writes whole-life policies whose death benefit pays out in bitcoin. Its BTC Life 1-Pay is a single-premium product for non-U.S. high-net-worth clients, with policyholders able to borrow up to 90% of the cash value after the first year and no margin calls.
-
How much bitcoin does Meanwhile hold?
Meanwhile reported 1,183 BTC in total assets at year-end 2025, up more than fivefold from the prior year, with 759 BTC sitting in statutory capital and surplus. Net long-term underwriting income for 2026 has already exceeded last year's total.
-
Why is Bermuda Meanwhile's regulatory base?
Meanwhile received its Class IILT license from the Bermuda Monetary Authority in July 2024 after a two-year sandbox stint. Bermuda's framework lets the firm denominate reserves and audited financials in bitcoin while custodying policyholder funds with regulated institutional custodians.
-
Who is Meanwhile's international distribution network?
Since launching BTC Life 1-Pay in early 2026, Meanwhile has signed 15 wealth-management brokers across Singapore, Hong Kong, the UAE, and Switzerland. Partnerships with Lioner and Apeiron Group anchor distribution across those markets.
TheBlock