Bold truth: Crypto users deserve an AI that actually understands the jargon, not one that endlessly hallucinates about Bitcoin and blockchain. Surf is an AI platform carved out specifically for crypto, and its founders say it’s built to avoid the misleading errors that mainstream models like ChatGPT often produce. Here’s a clearer, beginner-friendly rewrite of the original piece, expanded with extra context and practical details.
Ryan Li has blended two fast-moving worlds: artificial intelligence and cryptocurrency. He began working with AI about a decade ago while an undergraduate at UC Berkeley, and since then he has started two crypto-focused companies. From this background, Li argues that popular AI services such as ChatGPT and Perplexity frequently generate crypto-related hallucinations. Those inaccuracies can mislead traders and potentially cost millions, or even billions, of dollars over time. In response, he co-founded Surf, an AI platform tailored to the crypto space.
Surf recently announced a $15 million fundraising round led by Pantera Capital, with participation from Coinbase Ventures and Digital Currency Group. Li, Surf’s chief executive, did not disclose the company’s current valuation in a Fortune interview. He emphasized that Surf began as a tool the team wanted for themselves and that market interest has confirmed that vision. “Surf is meant for crypto,” Li said, adding that people should rely on Surf rather than on hallucinations from other AI models.
The product debuted as an invite-only service in July and opened to the public in September. The platform claims over 300,000 users and more than a million search results generated. Li notes that Surf covers a wide range of crypto topics—from basic concepts to highly technical questions. Approximately 80% of Surf’s users are everyday individuals who don’t work in crypto, while the remaining 20% includes venture capitalists, exchanges, and other crypto-affiliated firms.
Surf reports a modest revenue base in the low millions and aims to hit $10 million in revenue by the end of 2026. The business monetizes through subscriptions, with tiers ranging from $15 to $399 per month. A free version exists, but it restricts users to asking only a few questions per day. The current team is just under 30 employees.
Li frames Surf’s competition as mainstream AI platforms—such as ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Grok—rather than other crypto-specific tools. In benchmarking tests conducted with Princeton University, Surf claims its crypto-focused model outperforms ChatGPT and Grok by roughly a factor of four on crypto tasks. While ChatGPT may offer faster responses, Surf allegedly provides more crypto-specific answers and citations. Li argues that ChatGPT is a capable generalist but lacks deep crypto industry knowledge, whereas Surf functions like an industry expert built through targeted training.
With the new funding, Surf plans to release Surf 2.0, a more advanced iteration, in February 2026.
Optional note for readers curious about the broader picture: this move underscores a trend where startups aim to tailor AI to specialized domains to reduce risk from generic, one-size-fits-all models. In crypto especially, where accuracy and cited sources matter for decision-making, domain-focused AI could become increasingly valuable.
What’s your take on crypto-specific AI tools? Do you think specialized models will outperform general-purpose assistants in volatile markets, or will versatile models remain sufficiently capable with careful use? Share your thoughts in the comments."
