On March 12, 2026, Nasdaq-listed Eightco Holdings (ORBS) announced it secured $125 million in new institutional funding commitments, triggering a dramatic surge in its stock price. The company's shares jumped as much as 25% in early trading, reaching approximately $1.02, marking a significant rebound for a stock that had fallen more than 90% in recent months.
The funding round is headlined by a $75 million commitment from digital asset company Bitmine (BMNR), chaired by prominent crypto bull Tom Lee. ARK Investment Management, led by Cathie Wood, and Payward—the parent company of cryptocurrency exchange Kraken—each committed $25 million.
The capital infusion is accompanied by a major leadership reshuffle. Dan Ives, the Wedbush tech analyst who was named chairman in September, is stepping down from the role. Tom Lee of Bitmine will join Eightco's board of directors, and Brett Winton, Chief Futurist at ARK Invest, will serve as a board advisor. Ives described the new lineup as "the perfect team" to advance the company's strategy.
The funding is earmarked to fuel Eightco's expansion into artificial intelligence, blockchain infrastructure, and digital consumer platforms. The company has already begun deploying capital aggressively. Just days before the announcement, on March 6, Eightco invested approximately $52.5 million to acquire economic interests in OpenAI equity. On March 10, it committed roughly $25 million to Beast Industries, the company behind YouTube star MrBeast, with $7 million of that to be funded within 60 days.
Eightco also confirmed it continues to hold positions in Worldcoin, co-founded by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, and in Ethereum. The company described the OpenAI and Beast Industries moves as its "initial strategic investments," indicating more may follow. The most recent analyst rating on ORBS stock is a Hold with a price target of $1.50. The company currently has a market capitalization of around $160 million.
