Key Takeaways
- On March 12, 2026, Eightco Holdings (ORBS) announced $125 million in fresh institutional capital commitments.
- Bitmine (BMNR) leads the funding round with $75 million, while ARK Invest and Payward (Kraken’s parent company) contribute $25 million each.
- Board restructuring includes Dan Ives departing the chairman role and Tom Lee, Bitmine’s chairman, joining as a director.
- Earlier in March, ORBS deployed $52.5 million toward OpenAI equity and pledged $25 million to MrBeast’s Beast Industries.
- Shares of ORBS climbed as high as 22% during Thursday’s trading session, reaching approximately 99 cents.
On March 12, 2026, Eightco Holdings (ORBS) revealed it had secured $125 million in fresh institutional backing, triggering a significant stock rally of over 20% during early market hours.
The funding round is spearheaded by Bitmine (BMNR), the digital asset firm led by cryptocurrency advocate Tom Lee, contributing $75 million. Meanwhile, Cathie Wood’s ARK Investment Management and Payward—Kraken’s parent organization—each pledged $25 million to the initiative.
During Thursday’s morning session, ORBS shares touched 99 cents, representing approximately a 22% gain. This marks a significant recovery for the stock, which had experienced a decline exceeding 90% over recent months.
The newly raised funds will support ORBS’ strategic expansion into artificial intelligence, blockchain technology infrastructure, and digital consumer-facing platforms.
Accompanying the funding news, Dan Ives announced his resignation from the chairman position. Ives, a prominent technology analyst at Wedbush Securities, had assumed the chairmanship just last September. Tom Lee will now join ORBS’ board of directors.
Brett Winton, who holds the title of Chief Futurist at ARK Invest, has been appointed as a board advisor.
In his statement, Ives described the incoming leadership group as “the perfect team” to advance the company’s vision.
Barron’s ran a cover feature in late January scrutinizing potential conflicts stemming from Ives’s dual responsibilities as both chairman and a sell-side analyst at Wedbush. When approached for comment regarding Thursday’s developments, Wedbush did not respond.
Strategic Capital Deployment in OpenAI and Beast Industries
In the days leading up to Thursday’s funding announcement, ORBS had already begun deploying significant capital. On March 6, the firm invested approximately $52.5 million to obtain economic interests in OpenAI equity holdings.
Four days later, on March 10, ORBS committed roughly $25 million to Beast Industries—the enterprise behind internet personality MrBeast—with $7 million designated for funding within a 60-day window.
Additionally, ORBS maintains existing positions in Worldcoin, the cryptocurrency project co-created by OpenAI’s CEO Sam Altman, as well as holdings in Ethereum.
These OpenAI and Beast Industries transactions were characterized as the company’s “initial strategic investments,” hinting at potential additional deals on the horizon.
Wall Street Perspective
The latest analyst coverage on ORBS maintains a Hold rating, with a price objective set at $1.50.
Eightco Holdings currently commands a market capitalization of approximately $160 million, with typical daily trading volume hovering around 4.6 million shares.
With its recent funding and investment announcements, the company now maintains simultaneous exposure to OpenAI, Beast Industries, Worldcoin, and Ethereum across its portfolio.
