Meanwhile, the first life insurer licensed to operate entirely in Bitcoin, has raised $37.5 million in new funding from its existing investors, bringing total backing to more than $180 million. Bain Capital Crypto led the round, with participation from Haun Ventures, Framework Ventures, Pantera Capital, Apollo, Northwestern Mutual Future Ventures and Morgan Creek Digital, the company announced. Sam Altman is also among its backers.

The raise follows a surge in demand for the company's Bitcoin life insurance policies outside the United States — particularly in Asia, Europe and the Middle East — amid broader macroeconomic instability, Meanwhile said in a statement.

What is driving demand for Bitcoin-denominated life cover?

CEO and co-founder Zac Townsend framed the product as an estate-planning solution rather than a trading instrument. "Wealthy families around the world already hold Bitcoin. What they haven't had is a regulated way to pass it on," he said. "Brokers came to us because their clients kept asking. This round lets us keep up with them."

In early 2026 Meanwhile launched BTC Life 1-Pay, a single-premium whole life policy aimed at high-net-worth clients outside the US. It is the company's second product line, after BTC 10-Pay, which is designed for US taxpayers. Under BTC Life 1-Pay, a client pays one premium in Bitcoin and receives a guaranteed death benefit in Bitcoin for life. The policy's value grows in Bitcoin terms, and after the first year the owner can borrow up to 90% of its value — with no repayment schedule and no margin calls. Policies can be owned by individuals, trusts or companies, a structure the company says suits succession and estate planning.

Who distributes the product?

Since launch, Meanwhile has signed 15 brokers serving wealthy families, including in Singapore, Hong Kong, the UAE and Switzerland. Partners include Lioner, an insurance, trust and family office group with offices in Hong Kong, Singapore and Zurich, and Apeiron Group, a marketplace for high-net-worth life insurance.

"We're reaching a turning point where more high-net-worth clients are asking not just how to hold Bitcoin and digital assets, but how to plan around them and ultimately transfer that wealth to the next generation," Apeiron CEO Justin Man said.

How is the insurer regulated?

Meanwhile's operating entity, Meanwhile Insurance Bitcoin (Bermuda) Limited, holds the first Class IILT license granted by the Bermuda Monetary Authority. The company received the license in July 2024 after two years in the regulator's sandbox. Its balance sheet, reserves and audited financial statements are all denominated in Bitcoin, and policyholder Bitcoin is held with regulated institutional custodians.

The full-stack, regulated structure is what attracted the round's lead investor. "Meanwhile owns every layer of a regulated life insurer and builds it like an AI-enabled startup," said Stefan Cohen, partner at Bain Capital Crypto. "The growth this year proves the model, and we're glad to back them again."

On the underwriting side, Meanwhile said net long-term underwriting income has already surpassed last year's total and is on track to more than double in 2026. The company did not disclose specific figures.

With 15 broker relationships across Asia, Europe and the Middle East now active and a product built specifically for non-US estates, the question for the coming quarters is whether Bitcoin-denominated succession planning scales from a niche for wealthy families into a broader category of regulated digital-asset insurance.