Key Takeaways
- On March 12, 2026, Eightco Holdings (ORBS) announced it secured $125 million in fresh institutional capital commitments.
- Bitmine (BMNR) leads the round with $75 million, while ARK Invest and Kraken’s parent company Payward each contribute $25 million.
- Chairman Dan Ives is departing his role; Tom Lee, chairman of Bitmine, will join ORBS’ board of directors.
- Earlier in March, ORBS deployed $52.5 million into OpenAI equity and committed $25 million to MrBeast’s Beast Industries.
- Shares of ORBS climbed as high as 22% during Thursday’s trading session, reaching approximately 99 cents per share.
On March 12, 2026, Eightco Holdings (ORBS) revealed it had successfully raised $125 million from prominent institutional investors, triggering a sharp rally in the company’s share price during early Thursday trading.
The financing round features a substantial $75 million investment from Bitmine (BMNR), the digital asset firm led by cryptocurrency enthusiast Tom Lee. Meanwhile, Cathie Wood’s ARK Investment Management and Payward — which operates the Kraken cryptocurrency exchange — have each pledged $25 million to the funding round.
During Thursday’s morning session, ORBS shares reached 99 cents, representing an approximate 22% gain for the day. This uptick marks a significant recovery for the company, whose stock price had plummeted over 90% in the preceding months.
The newly acquired capital will support ORBS’ expansion efforts in artificial intelligence, blockchain technology infrastructure, and digital consumer-facing platforms.
Alongside this funding announcement, the company disclosed a leadership transition. Dan Ives, who assumed the chairman position just last September, is relinquishing the role. Ives, a prominent technology sector analyst at Wedbush Securities, will be replaced on the board by Tom Lee.
Additionally, Brett Winton, who serves as Chief Futurist at ARK Invest, has been appointed to an advisory position on the board.
In a public statement, Ives described the incoming leadership configuration as “the perfect team” to advance the company’s strategic vision.
Barron’s featured a cover investigation in late January that scrutinized Ives’s dual responsibilities and examined potential conflicts arising from his simultaneous roles as ORBS chairman and as a sell-side equity analyst at Wedbush. The firm opted not to provide commentary regarding Thursday’s developments.
Recent Capital Deployments: OpenAI and Beast Industries Deals
Prior to Thursday’s funding reveal, ORBS had already been actively deploying capital. The company disclosed on March 6 that it acquired approximately $52.5 million in economic interests tied to OpenAI equity.
Four days later, on March 10, ORBS announced a roughly $25 million commitment to Beast Industries — the corporate entity behind popular content creator MrBeast — with $7 million of that amount scheduled for deployment within the next 60 days.
Beyond these transactions, ORBS maintains investment positions in Worldcoin, a project co-created by OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman, as well as holdings in Ethereum.
The company characterized its OpenAI and Beast Industries transactions as “initial strategic investments,” signaling potential for additional similar moves ahead.
Wall Street Perspective
The latest analyst coverage on ORBS carries a Hold recommendation, accompanied by a $1.50 price objective.
Eightco Holdings currently maintains a market capitalization hovering around $160 million, with daily trading volume averaging roughly 4.6 million shares.
Through its recent disclosed transactions and fundraising activities, the company has established simultaneous exposure to OpenAI, Beast Industries, Worldcoin, and Ethereum.
Get 3 Free Stock Ebooks
Discover top-performing stocks in AI, Crypto, and Technology with expert analysis.
- Top 10 AI Stocks - Leading AI companies
- Top 10 Crypto Stocks - Blockchain leaders
- Top 10 Tech Stocks - Tech giants
