HeyElsa is an artificial intelligence (AI) powered financial technology platform designed to simplify user interactions with cryptocurrency and decentralized finance (DeFi). The platform functions as an "AI Crypto Copilot," translating natural language commands into executable on-chain actions, such as swapping tokens, bridging assets between blockchains, and managing investment portfolios. ^{[1] [7]}

Overview

HeyElsa aims to address the complexity of the Web3 ecosystem by providing an abstraction layer over disparate blockchain protocols, wallets, and applications. Described as an "AI crypto co-pilot," it is designed to help both novice and experienced users make informed decisions through its data and execution mechanisms. ^[10] The core technology, named ElsaAI Automata, utilizes an intent-based framework powered by large language models (LLMs) to interpret user goals and automate the necessary transactions. This allows users to perform complex, multi-step operations across different blockchains with a single command, without needing to manually interact with multiple interfaces or manage technical details like gas fees and private keys. ^[8]

The project's stated mission is to build the "AI stack for crypto," creating a foundational infrastructure that makes blockchain technology more accessible to both retail users and developers. HeyElsa offers a direct-to-consumer application with a conversational interface and also provides its technology as a B2B solution for other Web3 companies to integrate into their own products. The company has a presence in Bangalore, India, and Toronto, Canada. ^{[9] [1]}

History

The official X (formerly Twitter) account for HeyElsa was created in March 2024. The project was formally introduced to the public on June 20, 2024, through a blog post that described its vision for an AI co-pilot for on-chain transactions. ^{[5] [7]}

On September 16, 2024, HeyElsa announced the public soft launch of its product, ElsaAI. To engage early users, the company initiated an "Intro Quest" on the Superboard platform, offering participants the opportunity to earn "Early Supporter NFTs" mintable on Zora. ^[8]

A significant milestone was reached on June 5, 2025, when the company announced it had raised $3 million in a combined pre-seed and seed funding round. At the time of the announcement, HeyElsa reported that its AI agents had already processed over $20 million in on-chain transaction volume since the product's launch. ^{[9] [6]}

Technology

HeyElsa's platform is built on a proprietary technology stack designed to interpret user intent and execute on-chain operations. The architecture is centered around its core engine, the ElsaAI Automata, and is supported by the Elsa AI Layer. ^[11]

ElsaAI Automata

The ElsaAI Automata is the central processing engine that powers the platform. It combines LLMs with a specialized intent-based framework to translate natural language inputs into a series of optimized blockchain transactions. The system is composed of several interconnected agents and engines. ^{[7] [12]}

The core components include:

• Intent Engine: This component is the core of the system, responsible for accurately interpreting a user's natural language request—even ambiguous ones—and translating it into a structured, actionable plan.
• Data Engine: It continuously collects and analyzes vast amounts of real-time on-chain data from multiple blockchains to inform the AI's decision-making process, identifying the most efficient routes for transactions considering factors like fees, execution time, and liquidity.
• User Profile Agent: This agent personalizes the user experience by analyzing a user's on-chain activity and preferences to provide tailored suggestions for trades, investments, and market trends.
• On-Chain Script Engine: This engine automates the direct interaction with various blockchain protocols to execute the steps defined by the Intent Engine.
• Risk Management Engine: A system designed to enhance transaction security by evaluating risks, running checks, and implementing fail-safes, such as transaction rollbacks and automatic stop-losses, to protect user assets. ^{[8] [11]}

Elsa AI Layer

The Elsa AI Layer works in conjunction with the Automata to enable advanced conversational abilities and problem-solving. It utilizes AI agents, Large Language Models (LLMs), and Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) technology. This allows the system to access up-to-date information, ensuring that its responses and actions are based on the latest market conditions and protocol data, facilitating natural and effective user interaction. ^{[11] [13]}

Execution and Infrastructure

HeyElsa operates its own in-house execution infrastructure to manage complex DeFi operations. This system is designed for multi-chain transaction routing, bundling multiple operations into a single transaction to improve efficiency and implement security measures. The platform utilizes a combination of open-source LLMs, including models from the LLaMA, Mistral, and DeepSeek families, which are continuously refined using real-time blockchain data, market data, and user feedback. ^[9]

Wallet System

To simplify user onboarding, HeyElsa utilizes a Multi-Party Computation (MPC) wallet system. New users can create a wallet simply by signing up with an email address, which abstracts away the need to manage complex seed phrases. This approach provides institutional-grade security by splitting the private key into multiple shares, preventing any single point of failure. The platform also supports integration with third-party wallets, including MetaMask and Coinbase Wallet. ^{[8] [9]}

Features

HeyElsa offers a range of features for both individual users and business clients, accessible through its conversational interface.

Intent-Based Execution

The platform's primary feature is its ability to execute complex, multi-step, and cross-chain transactions from a single natural language command. Users can state their objective, and the AI handles the entire execution process. Example commands include:

• "Create a basket for buying the top 10 meme coins for $100 on Solana."
• "Bridge 0.001 ETH from Arbitrum to Optimism and send it to vitalik.eth."
• "Buy a pudgy penguin at under 25 eth."
• "Set a stop loss for my entire portfolio at 50%."
• "OK Elsa, buy this NFT collection when the floor price hits X ETH."
• "If my ETH drops by 15%, convert it to USDC (automatic stop-loss)." ^{[1] [7] [11]}

DeFi and Trading Operations

The platform supports a variety of DeFi and trading activities, including:

• Token Swapping: Facilitates swaps between different cryptocurrencies, with the AI routing transactions through aggregators to find optimal pricing and low fees.
• Cross-Chain Bridging: Enables the transfer of assets between different blockchain networks.
• Automated Staking: Allows for automated strategies to optimize staking allocations and manage rewards across multiple networks, such as those in the Cosmos ecosystem. The AI can monitor rewards across various protocols and automatically restake assets to maximize yields.
• Airdrop Farming: Provides script-based flows to automatically participate in airdrop opportunities by identifying promising campaigns and executing the required steps to meet eligibility criteria. ^{[1] [11]}

User Experience and Accessibility

HeyElsa incorporates several features aimed at simplifying the user experience:

• Simplified Onboarding: Users can create an account and an MPC wallet within minutes using only an email address.
• Fiat On-Ramp and Off-Ramp: The platform allows users to convert fiat currency (e.g., USD, EUR, GBP) into cryptocurrency and vice versa, with support for credit/debit cards and direct bank transfers.
• Gasless Transactions: Through its integration with the Coinbase Developer Platform and partnerships with services like BungeeExchange, HeyElsa utilizes Paymaster contracts to enable gasless transactions for users on certain operations.
• AI-Powered Guidance and Security: The platform provides AI-powered risk checks to protect users from suspicious transactions. For beginners, the AI can suggest optimal chains or methods to achieve a specific goal.
• Market Intelligence: The system provides 24/7 market monitoring, AI-driven alerts for new token listings, and real-time social media sentiment analysis. ^{[1] [9] [11]}

B2B Solutions

In addition to its retail application, HeyElsa offers its underlying infrastructure to other Web3 businesses. These B2B offerings include custom trading widgets, AI-powered APIs for DeFi execution, white-label wallet solutions, and advanced analytics dashboards. The company reported that several enterprise pilots were underway as of June 2025. ^[9]

Tokenomics and ELSA Points

HeyElsa implemented a points system to reward user engagement on its platform. These "ELSA Points" are earned by completing various activities, and there has been community speculation that these points could lead to a future airdrop of a native token. ^[11]

The project's original roadmap included plans for the establishment of the Elsa DAO and the implementation of staking for a native "ELSA" token in Q4 2024. However, conflicting information later emerged, with posts on the official X account stating "🚫 No token," suggesting a possible change in strategy. As of late 2025, the official status of a token issuance remains unconfirmed, but the points system is active to incentivize platform usage. ^[11]

Roadmap

HeyElsa's roadmap outlined an ambitious development plan to expand its capabilities and ecosystem throughout 2024 and 2025. As of September 2025, these milestones are in the past. ^{[11] [15]}

• Q2 2024: Elsa AI Automata Launch: The initial version of the platform was released, introducing its basic features and intent-based transaction flows.
• Q3 2024: Elsa AI Automata V1: This phase saw the introduction of advanced AI agents, the implementation of MPC wallet infrastructure, and the integration of account abstraction. Plans for an Elsa Debit Card launch were also announced for this period.
• Q4 2024: Elsa AI Automata V2: The roadmap for this quarter included the planned establishment of the Elsa DAO and the implementation of ELSA token staking. It also targeted the introduction of automated strategies for staking and yield farming, alongside the testnet release of the ELSA AI Compute Network.
• Q1 2025: Elsa AI Automata V3: Enhancements were focused on cross-chain functionality, with improvements to bridging and the implementation of AI-driven opportunities for cross-chain staking, airdrops, and lending.
• Q2 2025: Elsa AI Automata V4: The final phase of this roadmap included the integration of advanced AI for market prediction, opening the platform for third-party developer integration, and the mainnet release of the ELSA AI Compute Network.

The roadmap indicated a long-term vision for HeyElsa to evolve from a DeFi tool into a foundational piece of Web3 infrastructure with its own token, DAO, and proprietary AI compute network. ^[11]

Funding

HeyElsa announced on June 5, 2025, that it had raised $3 million in a funding round that combined pre-seed and seed investments. The round was led by M31 Capital. ^[6]

Other participating institutional investors included:

• Coinbase Ventures (via its Base Ecosystem Fund)
• MH Ventures
• Absoluta Cap
• 2Shares
• Levitate Labs

The round also included participation from several angel investors, such as Martin Ochwat, Jonathan Man, Jaskanwar Singh, Alexey Bondar, and Yonatan Ben Shimon, along with individuals affiliated with projects like Anoma, Zerolend, LayerZero, and DeFiLlama. ^[9]

Team

The founder of HeyElsa is Dhawal Shah. Other individuals associated with the project as angel investors or advisors include Yonatan Ben Shimon, Gaskoin Singh, and Alekya Bondal. ^{[9] [6]}

In a statement regarding the company's funding, Dhawal Shah said, "HeyElsa is reshaping crypto interaction by turning high-friction tasks into seamless outcomes. We're eliminating the need to juggle wallets and protocols, allowing users to simply state their goals." ^[9]

David Attermann, Managing Partner at lead investor M31 Capital, commented, "One of our highest conviction bets in Web3 AI is the potential for copilots to transform UI/UX through tech abstraction. We tried every solution on the market and strongly believe Elsa’s product, and AI development team, is in a league of its own." ^[9]

Partnerships and Ecosystem

HeyElsa has established a strategic partnership with the Coinbase Developer Platform, which enables key features such as one-click onboarding, fiat-to-crypto access, and gasless transactions. The project has a strong focus on the Base blockchain, an Ethereum Layer 2 network incubated by Coinbase. This alignment is further evidenced by the investment from the Base Ecosystem Fund and the use of the Base network for product demonstrations and community giveaways. ^[9]

The platform is designed to be blockchain-agnostic, with support for over eight blockchain ecosystems. Supported chains include Ethereum, Solana, Base, BNB Chain, Polygon, Arbitrum, and Optimism. It has also demonstrated integrations with protocols within the Cosmos ecosystem and engaged in community promotions involving the Anoma protocol. ^{[1] [5] [11]}