Eightco Holdings said it raised $125 million from Bitmine, ARK Invest, and Payward, the parent company of Kraken, as it expanded into artificial intelligence and blockchain. The company also said Tom Lee joined its board after the deal.
The company said Bitmine led the round with $75 million. Meanwhile, ARK Invest and Payward each invested $25 million. After the announcement, Eightco stock rose 11.67% and closed at $0.90 on Thursday. However, it later fell 2.6% in after-hours trading to $0.88.
At the same time, Eightco disclosed new investments tied to its updated strategy. It said it completed an initial $50 million OpenAI investment and a $25 million MrBeast investment through Beast Industries, owned by James Donaldson, known as MrBeast.
Eightco funding round adds Bitmine ARK Invest and Tom Lee
The Eightco funding round brought in three known names from the crypto and investment sectors. Bitmine provided the largest share with $75 million. Then, ARK Invest and Payward each added $25 million.
As part of the same move, Tom Lee Eightco became one of the main headlines. Tom Lee, who serves as Bitmine chairman, joined the Eightco board. In addition, Brett Winton, chief futurist at ARK Invest, joined as a board advisor.
The company also announced a leadership change. Dan Ives stepped down as chairman after taking the role in September. Eightco linked the new funding and board changes to its broader push into AI, blockchain infrastructure, and digital consumer platforms.
OpenAI investment and MrBeast investment expand Eightco strategy
Eightco said the new capital will support investments in technologies tied to artificial intelligence, blockchain systems, and digital platforms. That strategy now includes the disclosed OpenAI investment and MrBeast investment.
The company said it closed an initial $50 million strategic investment in OpenAI. It also said it made a $25 million investment in Beast Industries and James Donaldson, the creator known as MrBeast.
In its statement, the company said,
“These investments position ORBS as a hub at the center of key frontier AI technologies and content creation, expanding its portfolio to include ownership stakes in world-leading innovators.”
The statement connected the new investments to Eightco’s effort to build stakes in major technology and media businesses.
Eightco stock rises after news but six month decline remains
After the announcement, Eightco stock finished Thursday up 11.67% at $0.90. Still, the stock moved lower after the close and dropped to $0.88, down 2.6% in after-hours trading.
Despite the daily gain, the longer trend remains weak. The report said Eightco stock is down 92.49% over the past six months. That drop came during a broader decline in stocks tied to crypto companies.
As a result, the latest move shows a short-term market reaction to the Eightco funding news, the board update, and the disclosed investments. However, the company’s share price remains far below earlier levels.
Worldcoin investment marked Eightco’s earlier crypto move
Eightco is an e-commerce inventory management platform. Still, it started making crypto-related moves before this latest funding round. In September, the company said it would buy and hold Worldcoin (WLD).
That earlier Worldcoin investment triggered a sharp move in the stock. According to the report, the announcement sent shares up by 3,000% in a single day. That marked Eightco’s first major public crypto step.
Now, with Bitmine ARK Invest backing, a Tom Lee Eightco board role, an OpenAI investment, and a MrBeast investment, the company has moved further into AI and blockchain-related business lines.
Disclosure:This article does not contain investment advice or recommendations. Every investment and trading move involves risk, and readers should conduct their own research when making a decision.
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Tatevik Avetisyan is an editor at Kriptoworld who covers emerging crypto trends, blockchain innovation, and altcoin developments. She is passionate about breaking down complex stories for a global audience and making digital finance more accessible.
📅 Published: March 13, 2026 • 🕓 Last updated: March 13, 2026
