Eightco Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: ORBS), an investment company focused on next-generation technology assets, has secured a $125 million institutional funding round announced on March 12, 2026, led by Bitmine (NYSE: BMNR), ARK Invest, and Payward, the parent company of the Kraken crypto platform. The funding will support Eightco’s strategy of investing in technologies spanning artificial intelligence, blockchain infrastructure, and global digital consumer platforms. Eightco Holdings Inc. allocates capital into category-defining technology and creator-driven businesses, including OpenAI and Beast Industries.
Funding Overview
Eightco announced that it has secured $125 million in new institutional funding commitments. The company described these as capital commitments rather than a traditional priced equity round, with the proceeds earmarked for strategic technology investments.
Key funding details:
- Total commitments: $125 million.
- Lead investor: Bitmine (NYSE: BMNR) committed $75 million.
- ARK Invest committed at least $25 million.
- Payward, parent of Kraken, committed $25 million.
Eightco stated that this capital will be deployed into investments in artificial intelligence, blockchain infrastructure, and global digital consumer platforms. As part of the same strategic program, Eightco has already executed a $50 million investment in OpenAI and a $25 million investment in MrBeast’s Beast Industries.
In addition to the capital commitments, Eightco announced governance changes associated with the transaction. Tom Lee, Chairman of Bitmine, has joined the Eightco board of directors, while Brett Winton, Chief Futurist at ARK Invest, will serve as an advisor to Eightco’s board. Dan Ives will step down as Chairman of Eightco.
About the Company
Eightco Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: ORBS) is an investment company that seeks ownership stakes in leading artificial intelligence, blockchain, and creator-economy platforms. Eightco positions itself at the intersection of AI model providers, blockchain infrastructure projects, and global digital consumer platforms through strategic investments and partnerships.
The company has disclosed that it holds positions in Worldcoin and Ethereum as part of its long-term digital asset strategy. Eightco has also invested in OpenAI and Beast Industries, expanding its portfolio into frontier AI and creator-led consumer businesses.
Investors
The $125 million in institutional commitments to Eightco comes from a group of strategic and institutional investors.
Named investors include:
- Bitmine Immersion Technologies (NYSE: BMNR) invested $75 million in Eightco.
- ARK Invest committed at least $25 million to Eightco and joined as a strategic partner.
- Payward, the parent company of Kraken, committed $25 million to Eightco.
- Additional disclosed strategic investors in Eightco include MOZAYYX, World Foundation, CoinFund, Discovery Capital Management, FalconX, Pantera, and GSR.
Bitmine is a U.S.-based Bitcoin mining company that is also building an Ethereum-focused treasury and staking infrastructure platform. ARK Invest is an investment manager known for thematic strategies focused on disruptive innovation. Payward operates Kraken and other financial infrastructure products including NinjaTrader, Breakout, xStocks, and CF Benchmarks on a shared architecture. Recent industry developments, including Payward Partners with Nasdaq, signal increasing collaboration between traditional financial exchanges and crypto infrastructure providers.
Market Context
Eightco’s new commitments arrive amid increasing institutional interest in AI infrastructure, blockchain-based assets, and creator-led digital platforms. The company’s disclosure that it invested $50 million in OpenAI and $25 million in Beast Industries links its strategy directly to leading AI model providers and high-traffic creator ecosystems.
Eightco also reported continued exposure to Worldcoin and Ethereum, aligning the company with identity-focused crypto projects and major smart contract infrastructure. Market commentary around the announcement has noted that investors are using vehicles such as Eightco to gain indirect exposure to AI and digital asset themes without managing individual project risk. Industry developments, including Payward Acquires Magna, further illustrate how crypto infrastructure providers are expanding through strategic acquisitions and partnerships.
Funding History
Eightco has raised significant capital in prior transactions. A September 10, 2025 disclosure stated that Eightco closed a $270 million funding transaction with a group of investors.
Known funding-related milestones include:
- Post-IPO round (March 12, 2026): Eightco completed a post-IPO institutional funding round of $125 million, with Bitmine as lead investor and participation from ARK Invest and Payward.
- PIPE round (September 10, 2025): The company previously raised $270 million in a PIPE transaction led by MOZAYYX, with participation from Pantera Capital, GSR, CoinFund, Brevan Howard Digital, Kraken, and one additional investor.
In connection with the March 2026 commitments, Eightco has already deployed a portion of its capital into strategic positions in OpenAI and Beast Industries, while maintaining holdings in Worldcoin and Ethereum. These allocations form part of the company’s ongoing effort to build exposure to AI models, blockchain infrastructure, and global digital consumer platforms.
