How can I go about getting early seed stage startup funding for a new cryptocurrency?

A crypto currency amounts to potentially strong substitute for brick & mortar-like and financial-intermediary based- transaction structures.

It is a large idea, it is game changing, and it requires a rather substantial balance sheet and time to move from concept, to prototype, to commercial viability.

Having been part of a similar disruption in the financial intermediation / transaction-facilitation space, I can confidently it will take years (3 to 5) and a substantial team (6 to 8 seniors plus outsourcing) to take a concept to fruition, and earn your first dollar.

Conceptually, and as a strong substitute/alternative to traditional structures (and currencies), your idea is most attractive to those larger or international companies seeking to expand in emerging markets around the globe (Note: Firms in Africa are among the largest users/traders of bitcoin).

You might consider a two stage approach. First, find a market leader in the US, a real powerhouse, with belief in your concept, and with a depth of connections and quality of force to lead a start-up drive. Bring them into your team on a partner basis (giving them a lions share). Then, as a second stage, let them led the effort to attract the start-up / development team, the specialized talent, the pocket books of seed round investors, and access to potential customers. Have no doubt, this is a heavy, heavy lift - and you will need to commit for YEARS regardless of the financial impact on you. (Especially that typical Seed and VC are skittish over Fintech, which has produced 98% losers, and only 2% winners (because nearly everyone underestimates how sophisticated one needs to be to disrupt in a space that trades OVER $1 TRILLION PER DAY.)

In short, play to your strengths (the conceptualization) and trade what you can (equity in the venture) to those who have a much better capacity to lead the venture through planning and seed funding. Budget what you need to be able to then do four things: customer validation, planning (tech, rollout, sales, and ops), transaction protocol design, and technology development budgeting.

As relevant to your question - I was a Chief Marketing & Planning Officer for a powerhouse-led group of Wall Streeters and their financial intermediation disruption play (a business that is now skyrocketing).

Happy to have a chat if this is something you really want to pursue.