On March 12, 2026, Eightco Holdings (ORBS) revealed it had secured $125 million in new institutional capital, triggering a sharp rally in its share price during early market hours.
The funding round features a substantial $75 million investment from Bitmine (BMNR), the digital asset firm led by cryptocurrency advocate Tom Lee. Additionally, ARK Invest—managed by renowned investor Cathie Wood—and Payward, which operates the Kraken cryptocurrency exchange, each pledged $25 million to the initiative.
During Thursday’s trading, ORBS shares climbed to 99 cents, marking an approximately 22% gain for the session. This represents a significant recovery for the company, whose stock had previously declined more than 90% over recent months.
The newly raised funds are designated for ORBS’ expansion efforts in artificial intelligence, blockchain technology infrastructure, and digital consumer-facing platforms.
Alongside the funding announcement, the company revealed a leadership transition. Dan Ives, the prominent technology analyst from Wedbush Securities who assumed the chairman role just last September, is relinquishing the position. Tom Lee will now occupy a board seat at ORBS.
Brett Winton, who serves as Chief Futurist at ARK Invest, has been appointed as an advisory board member.
In a public statement, Ives described the incoming leadership configuration as “the perfect team” to advance the company’s strategic objectives.
Last January, Barron’s featured a comprehensive cover investigation into Ives’s dual responsibilities and possible conflicts arising from his simultaneous roles as company chairman and equity analyst at Wedbush. When contacted Thursday, Wedbush representatives declined to provide commentary.
Prior to Thursday’s funding announcement, ORBS had already begun deploying significant capital into strategic opportunities. On March 6, the firm invested approximately $52.5 million to obtain economic interests in OpenAI equity.
Four days later, on March 10, ORBS committed roughly $25 million to Beast Industries—the corporate entity backing internet personality MrBeast—with $7 million of that amount scheduled for funding within the next 60 days.
The company also maintains existing positions in Worldcoin, a project co-created by OpenAI’s CEO Sam Altman, as well as holdings in Ethereum.
According to company disclosures, the OpenAI and Beast Industries transactions represent ORBS’ “initial strategic investments,” indicating additional deals may be forthcoming.
The latest analyst assessment for ORBS stock stands at a Hold rating, accompanied by a price objective of $1.50.
Eightco currently operates with a market capitalization hovering around $160 million, while average daily trading volume reaches approximately 4.6 million shares.
Through its recent funding activities and investment deployments, the company has established simultaneous positions across OpenAI, Beast Industries, Worldcoin, and Ethereum—positioning itself at the intersection of artificial intelligence and blockchain technology.
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