Eightco Holdings Inc. announced on Sept. 8 that it has priced and signed a $250 million private placement aimed at acquiring Worldcoin (WLD) as the company’s primary treasury reserve asset. The firm also disclosed a $20 million strategic investment from BitMine Immersion Technologies, Inc. (Nasdaq: BMNR).
Treasury pivot to Worldcoin
Eightco said proceeds from the offering will be used mainly to acquire WLD for its treasury, alongside secondary reserves of cash and Ethereum. The company described the move as a hedge against identity challenges posed by artificial intelligence, pointing to Worldcoin’s zero‑knowledge “proof of personhood” system.
Dan Ives, Eightco’s newly appointed chairman, said in the company’s statement that the purpose is to modernize digital identity in an AI‑driven economy.
“The future of AI requires World to lead the way in trust and authentication,” Ives noted.
Worldcoin co‑founder Sam Altman has previously stated that the project has enabled more than 16 million proof‑of‑human accounts in over 45 countries, presenting it as one of the first attempts at building a global registry of verified digital identities.
Investment participants and structure
The transaction involved approximately 171.2 million common shares at $1.46 per share. According to Eightco’s disclosure, the placement was led by MOZAYYX, with Cantor Fitzgerald acting as financial adviser and RF Lafferty & Co. as exclusive placement agent.
Participating investors included World Foundation, Discovery Capital Management, Kraken, Pantera, GSR, Brevan Howard, Coinfund, Occam Crest, FalconX, and GAMA.
BitMine Immersion purchased 13.7 million shares at $1.46, contributing $20 million and launching what it described as its “Moonshot” program to invest in ambitious projects aligned with Ethereum.
Thomas Lee, chairman of BitMine, said:
“World’s zero‑knowledge proof of human credentials could be essential for trust and safety between technology platforms and the billions of people who use them.”
Dan Ives @DivesTech coming up on @SquawkCNBC at 7:10am ET to discuss his new role as Chairman of Eightco $OCTO $ORBS
— ORBS Official (@Iamhuman_ORBS) September 8, 2025
$270 million investment led by @mozayyx @BitMNR @Eightcoholdings @teflonblondie $WLD Worldcoin$BMNR Bitmine @fundstrat pic.twitter.com/OgBhcFkyGe
Market reaction and stock volatility
Following Eightco’s announcement, the company’s Nasdaq‑listed stock (OCTO) recorded extreme volatility. WorldCoinIndex shows shares rose from $1.43 before the announcement to an intraday peak above $83.00 within three days, briefly gaining more than 5,000%.
Worldcoin itself also rallied. Token data from CoinMarketCap shows WLD surged from about $1.03 to a high near $2.
Strategic implications
Eightco, which historically focused on e‑commerce subsidiaries, is the first public company to center its reserve strategy on an identity token rather than Bitcoin or Ethereum. The firm also said its Nasdaq trading symbol would switch to “ORBS”, reflecting Worldcoin’s Orb biometric verification devices.
Analysts say the pivot highlights rising interest in blockchain projects tackling digital identity rather than currency. Some believe proof‑of‑human identity could gain importance as AI blurs boundaries between humans and automated agents. Others caution that regulatory scrutiny and privacy issues remain unresolved.
Outlook
Eightco said it expects the financing to close “on or about Sept. 11, subject to customary conditions and Nasdaq authorization.” Once completed, the company intends to implement its Worldcoin treasury plan.
While the scale of the move has drawn market attention, its long‑term significance will depend on whether Worldcoin’s proof‑of‑personhood technology achieves broader global adoption and regulatory acceptance.
Alex Shepel
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