Eightco Holdings Inc. announced a significant strategic shift, raising $270 million to adopt Worldcoin (WLD) as its primary treasury asset and appointing prominent technology analyst Dan Ives as its new chairman. This move triggered substantial market reaction, with Eightco's stock and Worldcoin's token experiencing considerable gains, signaling a growing trend in corporate digital asset adoption.
Eightco Holdings Adopts Worldcoin as Treasury Asset Following $270 Million Private Placement
Eightco Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: OCTO), previously a packaging company, has announced a transformative strategic pivot, securing approximately $270 million through a private placement. The company intends to utilize these proceeds to implement a Worldcoin (WLD) treasury strategy, positioning the cryptocurrency token as its primary reserve asset.
This significant financial maneuver includes $250 million from the sale of 171,232,877 shares of common stock at a price of $1.46 per share, led by MOZAYYX with participation from institutional investors such as World Foundation, Discovery Capital Management, Pantera, Brevan Howard, GAMA, FalconX, Kraken, GSR, Coinfund, Occam Crest, and Diametric. An additional $20 million investment came from BitMine Immersion (NYSE AMERICAN: BMNR) for 13,698,630 shares.
Accompanying this strategic shift, Eightco has appointed renowned technology analyst Dan Ives as its new Chairman of the Board. The company also announced a change to its Nasdaq trading symbol, from "OCTO" to "ORBS," effective September 11, 2025.
Market Reacts to Strategic Shift and Leadership Appointment
The announcement catalyzed a significant market reaction. Eightco's stock (OCTO) experienced a dramatic surge, rising by nearly 5000% to 5700% during intraday trading on September 8, 2025. Its market capitalization briefly reached $210 million, a notable increase from $4.4 million prior to the announcement. The Worldcoin (WLD) token itself also saw a substantial rally, gaining over 75% to 100% and reaching prices between $1.49 and $2.03.
This market enthusiasm has been largely attributed to the "Dan Ives Effect," given his influential endorsements in the AI and crypto sectors. The appointment of Ives is seen as lending credibility to Eightco's ambitious new direction, drawing parallels to MicroStrategy's pioneering model of accumulating Bitcoin as a corporate treasury asset. However, Eightco's approach focuses on Worldcoin's unique "proof-of-humanity" technology.
Broader Implications and Analytical Commentary
Eightco's move signifies a broader trend among publicly traded companies exploring digital assets as treasury strategies, reflecting a growing acceptance and integration of cryptocurrencies in mainstream financial practices. Worldcoin, co-founded by Sam Altman, aims to create a universal foundation for digital identity using its iris-scanning Orb technology, which verifies human authenticity without storing biometric data on the blockchain. The project has already created nearly 16 million zero-knowledge Proof of Human accounts across more than 45 countries.
According to Dan Ives:
"Proof of Human is the next critical step in the AI revolution, and World is uniquely positioned to deliver the trust, verification and authentication that the world needs as AI becomes more deeply embedded in every aspect of our lives."
He further stated:
"Changing our ticker to ORBS marks a defining moment for Eightco, signaling our commitment to leading the Proof of Human revolution. ORBS symbolizes the foundation of trust and authentication in the AI era."
While the market's positive response indicates increasing recognition of cryptocurrencies' potential for long-term growth and suggests a potential shift in corporate treasury management towards holding tokens tied to real-world digital infrastructure, analysts have cautioned about associated risks. These include high valuations, execution challenges, and the concentration risk tied to Worldcoin's performance. Regulatory scrutiny regarding privacy and data collection, particularly concerning iris data, remains a notable challenge for the Worldcoin project.
As of September 12, 2025, Worldcoin (WLD) had a current price of $1.66, a market capitalization of $3.35 billion, and a fully diluted valuation (FDV) of $16.62 billion.
Looking Ahead
Eightco's strategic pivot positions it uniquely within the burgeoning digital asset space. The success of this new direction will largely depend on the effective execution of its Worldcoin treasury strategy and the broader adoption and regulatory landscape for Worldcoin's "proof-of-humanity" technology. Investors will closely monitor Eightco's ability to manage its leveraged balance sheet and the volatile nature of cryptocurrency assets, alongside ongoing developments in the regulatory environment for digital identities and data privacy.