Eightco Holdings (NASDAQ: ORBS) Reports \$333 Million in Holdings with Strategic Positions in OpenAI, Worldcoin, and Beast Industries

Easton, PA, May 6, 2026 – Eightco Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: ORBS) has released a comprehensive update on its treasury and investment portfolio, reporting total holdings of approximately \$333 million as of May 5, 2026. This announcement highlights Eightco’s major strategic stakes in some of the most influential sectors shaping the future of technology, including artificial intelligence, digital identity, and the creator economy.

Key Highlights of the Report

• OpenAI Exposure: Eightco holds an indirect investment of \$90 million in OpenAI through special purpose vehicles (SPVs), making up 27% of its treasury assets. This is among the highest disclosed concentrations in OpenAI of any publicly traded vehicle.
• Beast Industries Investment: Eightco has a total commitment of \$25 million in Beast Industries (\$18 million funded, \$7 million committed), which is approximately 8% of treasury assets. Beast Industries is anchored by MrBeast, the most-watched YouTuber globally, with a combined audience of over 500 million followers.
• Worldcoin (WLD) Holdings: Eightco owns 283,452,700 WLD tokens (valued at \$0.25 per token, per Coinbase), representing 8.53% of the circulating supply and the largest publicly disclosed institutional position globally. This accounts for 21% of the company’s treasury.
• Ethereum (ETH): The company holds 11,068 ETH.
• Cash and Stablecoins: Eightco possesses approximately \$121 million in cash and equivalents.
• Other Investments: Eightco also holds a \$1 million position in Mythical Games.

The above assets and investments total an estimated \$333 million as of the reporting date.

Strategic and Market Insights

• AI Oversight Intensifies: Management notes increased U.S. government oversight of advanced AI models, including new agreements with Google DeepMind, Microsoft, and xAI. This regulatory scrutiny underscores the significance of Eightco’s exposure to OpenAI and could impact the value and risk profile of its holdings in the sector.
• AI and Bot Dominance Growing: Recent data shows a sharp rise in non-human activity across digital platforms:
  • 75% of Polymarket trading volume is driven by bots or AI agents
  • 53% of all web traffic and 47% of email volume is now non-human
  • 44% of U.S. equity buy-side execution, 35% of new website creation, and 30% of online product reviews are non-human driven

  Eightco sees a rising necessity for robust human verification technologies and expects demand for solutions like Worldcoin’s Proof of Human protocol to grow exponentially.

• Worldcoin’s Business Model: Applications pay per-verification fees for Worldcoin’s Proof of Human network, while end-users are verified for free. The protocol and credential issuers monetize the authentication process. The total addressable market for verified-human authentication is estimated at \$6.35 trillion across 13 industries, including banking, e-commerce, gaming, social media, and agentic AI.
• OpenAI and ChatGPT: OpenAI’s ChatGPT has become the #1 consumer AI app worldwide, surpassing TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook in monthly downloads in early 2026. This rapid adoption underscores the strategic value of Eightco’s OpenAI exposure.

Implications for Shareholders and Potential Price Sensitivity

• Eightco’s treasury strategy provides unique, indirect public-market exposure to three mega-trends: artificial intelligence (OpenAI), digital identity (Worldcoin), and the creator economy (Beast Industries). The company’s disclosed positions represent significant, concentrated bets on high-growth and potentially volatile sectors.
• The company’s large, public position in Worldcoin makes ORBS a proxy for investors seeking exposure to the Proof of Human protocol. Any regulatory, adoption, or price volatility in WLD could materially impact Eightco’s asset value and share price.
• Substantial exposure to OpenAI, with its rapidly growing consumer products, could drive positive sentiment and valuation, but also exposes shareholders to risks associated with the pace of AI adoption and regulatory changes.
• Eightco’s investment in Beast Industries ties the company’s fate to the creator economy and the future of digital content distribution and trust, especially as AI commoditizes content.
• The company’s future capital commitments, including an additional \$7 million to Beast Industries, and potential volatility in digital asset prices (WLD, ETH) are noteworthy risks and opportunities for shareholders.

Leadership and Backing

Eightco is led by CEO Kevin O’Donnell. The board includes Thomas “Tom” Lee (Managing Partner and Head of Research at Fundstrat, and Chairman of Bitmine Immersion Technologies, NYSE: BMNR) and Brett Winton (Chief Futurist at ARK Invest) as an advisor. The company is backed by institutional investors such as Bitmine Immersion Technologies, MOZAYYX, World Foundation, CoinFund, Discovery Capital Management, FalconX, Payward/Kraken, Pantera, and GSR.

Frequently Asked Investor Questions

• Eightco Holdings (NASDAQ: ORBS) is a unique public vehicle for exposure to OpenAI, Worldcoin, and Beast Industries.
• It is the largest publicly disclosed institutional holder of Worldcoin (WLD).
• Worldcoin’s Proof of Human protocol is positioned as foundational infrastructure for the AI era, where human verification is increasingly necessary.

Forward-Looking Statements and Risks

Eightco’s management emphasizes that forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties, including but not limited to:

• Inability to control management or operations of private investments (OpenAI, Beast Industries)
• Potential losses or markdowns on strategic investments
• Volatility in digital asset prices (including WLD and ETH)
• Regulatory changes impacting digital assets, AI, or biometric data
• Uncertainty in the adoption and pace of agentic AI and Proof of Human technologies
• Risks associated with future capital commitments and the ability to raise additional capital as needed

Investors should review recent SEC filings, including Eightco’s 10-K (filed April 15, 2026), for a comprehensive discussion of risks.

Contact Information

Media Contact: Marcy Simon
Email: [email protected]
Phone: +1 917 833 3392
Website: 8co.holdings
Twitter: @iamhuman_orbs

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice or a recommendation to buy or sell any securities. The information is based on company disclosures as of May 6, 2026. Investors should conduct their own due diligence and consult financial professionals before making investment decisions. All forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties.

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