Key Takeaways
- Vinny Lingham is a South African-American entrepreneur who has contributed to startups in the cryptocurrency industry.
- He has co-founded Civic and helped its project raise over $33 million in its ICO in the crypto space.
- He is worth over $50 million, primarily due to his investments in Bitcoin, Civic, venture capital, and other crypto startups.
Vinny Lingham holds dual citizenship as an American and South African serial investor with a keen interest in technology and blockchain innovation, contributing significantly to the growth of the cryptocurrency industry. He is also known as the co-founder of Civic, a decentralized identity verification platform.
Who is Vinny Lingham? American Venture Capitalist
Vinny Lingham studied Information Systems at the University of Cape Town, but never completed it, as he was more open to pursuing an entrepreneurial journey. He later earned a specialization from Harvard Business School’s Executive Program.
However, before this recognition in his venture’s journey, Vinny founded IncuBeta, an investment holding company providing services in the digital market and technologies. While its subsidiary, Click2Customers, specializes in SEO (Search Engine Optimization).
IncuBeta was sold off in 2003 after achieving huge success. In 2007, Vinny Lingham founded Yola, a startup specializing in web development for businesses, and secured over $25 million in funding.
Lingham, following his exposure to Bitcoin, co-founded Gyft, a mobile gift card platform with Bitcoin payment integration, which was later sold for $50 million.
Building on his success, Vinny Lingham co-founded Civic, a decentralized blockchain verification platform. He served as CEO, helping the platform raise over $33 million in funding through its Initial Coin Offering (ICO).
Crypto Contributions
Source – Vinny Lingham on X (formerly Twitter)
Vinny Lingham, over the years, has co-founded the following and acted in different roles as shown below:
- Co-founded Rumi.ai, an AI platform for capturing user information and client interactions
- Co-founded Newtown Partners, a venture capital firm for blockchain startups
- General partner of Multicoin Capital, leading investments in crypto startups
- Co-founded Praxos Capital, a crypto hedge fund
Lingham is regarded as a thought leader and speaker, sharing his growth in the crypto space over the years through his activities on his X account.
Vinny Lingham’s Net Worth in 2025
Following his entrepreneurial success, estimates suggest that Lingham is worth over $50 million, driven by his co-founding of several crypto platforms, AI technologies, and his active involvement in the venture capital industry.
Conclusion
Lingham’s journey in the entrepreneurial world has been remarkable, marked by the success of founding his companies and selling them for millions of dollars, as well as building more interest in the blockchain space, with Bitcoin playing a key role.
He has contributed to the success of numerous blockchain startups in the cryptocurrency industry and continues to play an active role in conferences, media appearances, and other initiatives, sharing his expertise and driving growth in the blockchain space and business.
FAQs
Who is the billionaire Vinny?
Vinny is an American entrepreneur with roots in South Africa, contributing to blockchain startups.
Who is the founder of GYFT?
Vinny Lingham is the founder of GYFT, a Bitcoin payment technology.
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