Layer 1 blockchain platform Berachain has raised $100 million in a Series B funding round as it gears up for ambitious worldwide growth. The oversubscribed round was co-led by crypto investment firms Brevan Howard Digital and Framework Ventures.

Additional participants included Hack VC, Polychain Capital and Tribe Capital, underscoring diverse institutional support for Berachain's community-driven blockchain architecture and international expansion plans.

The $100 million capital injection, exceeding initial reports of a $69 million raise, will primarily bankroll Berachain's aggressive push into Asian markets like Hong Kong, Singapore and across Southeast Asia. However, the funding will also fuel growth across Latin America, Africa and other global regions.

"This raise validates our approach to building a blockchain driven by real user and developer feedback while creating value for network participants," stated Berachain co-founder 'The Bera' in announcing the Series B close.

Berachain has emerged as one of the crypto industry's most unique community experiments. The Ethereum Virtual Machine-compatible chain assigns pseudonymous bear-themed nicknames to users and claims to have processed over 100 million transactions on its testnet so far.

While privacy-centric blockchains are not new, Berachain has developed a loyal grassroots following by espousing a "blockchain for the people" ethos. It pitches a more egalitarian and decentralized model designed to empower users rather than privileging large stakeholders, investors or founders.

By democratizing both the distribution and governance of the network from inception, Berachain has cultivated an impassioned global community united around its mission and cultural identity.

The strategy has clearly resonated with investors like Brevan Howard Digital and Framework Ventures, who are betting Berachain's appeal can translate to a thriving decentralized ecosystem capable of onboarding millions of new users worldwide.

"Berachain's people-powered blockchain offers a refreshing alternative to the founder-led projects that currently dominate Web3," said Brevan Howard Digital managing partner Ali Erdan. "With a robust global community already backing its roadmap, we're excited to support Berachain's ethical expansion."

Berachain's $100 million war chest arrives amid a resurgence of risk capital deploying into crypto markets and blockchain upstarts in 2023. Venture funding hit $2.5 billion in Q1 alone according to Pitchbook, surging 32% from the previous quarter.

As crypto assets and innovative Layer 1 solutions regain favor among investors, Berachain now has significant runway to solidify its worldwide userbase and decentralized infrastructure. Its community-led growth model could point the way for an emerging class of fairer, more inclusive blockchain networks moving forward.