Eightco has increased its total investment in OpenAI to $90 million, signaling a stronger push into artificial intelligence and high growth private markets.
Key Takeaways
- Eightco invested an additional $40 million in OpenAI, bringing total exposure to $90 million.
- The investment now represents about 30 percent of the company’s treasury.
- A recent $125 million fundraising round backed the expansion.
- The firm continues to build a combined AI and crypto focused portfolio.
What Happened?
Eightco Holdings announced a fresh $40 million investment into OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT. This raises its total stake to $90 million, making it one of the firm’s largest strategic bets.
The move follows a recent capital raise and aligns with Eightco’s broader plan to offer retail investors access to high growth private companies.
$ORBS is adding another $40M to OpenAI, bringing its total investment to $90M.
— Josip Rupena (@JRupena) March 20, 2026
The company says that position now makes up roughly 30% of its treasury alongside large holdings in WLD, ETH and cash/stablecoins. pic.twitter.com/HPebMsd28M
Eightco Doubles Down on OpenAI
Eightco’s latest investment highlights its growing conviction in artificial intelligence as a long term growth sector. The company now holds $90 million in OpenAI exposure, which accounts for roughly 30 percent of its total treasury.
The investment is made through an indirect wholly owned subsidiary, giving Eightco beneficial interest in OpenAI preferred stock rather than direct equity ownership. This structure allows the firm to access private market opportunities that are typically unavailable to retail investors.
CEO Kevin O’Donnell emphasized the importance of this move, stating:
Backed by Major Fundraising and Strategic Partners
The expansion comes shortly after Eightco secured $125 million in new funding. The round was led by $75 million from Bitmine Immersion Technologies, with additional $25 million contributions from ARK Invest and Payward, the parent company of Kraken.
As part of this strategic alignment, Tom Lee, chairman of Bitmine, joined Eightco’s board of directors. Meanwhile, Brett Winton, chief futurist at ARK Invest, stepped in as a board advisor.
These additions are expected to strengthen the company’s direction across AI, blockchain, and digital consumer platforms.
Strong Focus on AI and Crypto Holdings
Beyond OpenAI, Eightco maintains a diversified portfolio across artificial intelligence and digital assets. Its holdings include:
- 277,222,975 Worldcoin tokens, representing nearly 10 percent of circulating supply, valued at around $89 million.
- 11,068 ETH, worth approximately $23.6 million.
- $76 million in cash and stablecoins.
The company is also the largest public holder of Worldcoin, a project co-founded by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman that focuses on digital identity through biometric verification.
In addition, Eightco has made a $25 million strategic investment in Beast Industries, the media venture founded by YouTube creator Jimmy Donaldson, widely known as MrBeast.
Market Reaction and Stock Performance
Despite its aggressive expansion strategy, Eightco’s stock has struggled in recent months. Shares were trading near $0.94, down more than 4 to 5 percent in recent sessions and nearly 93 percent over the past six months.
This decline comes after a sharp rally last year, when the company’s stock surged significantly following its earlier crypto treasury announcement.
CoinLaw’s Takeaway
I see this move as a bold and calculated bet on the future of AI. In my experience, companies that secure early exposure to dominant private players like OpenAI often position themselves ahead of the market. What stands out to me is Eightco’s effort to democratize access to private tech investments, which is usually reserved for large institutions.
That said, the sharp drop in its stock price suggests that investor confidence is still catching up with its long term vision. I found that while the strategy is compelling, execution and market timing will be critical for Eightco to truly benefit from this exposure.
