What to know:
- Dan Ives sees AI + crypto as key to “human proof” in the digital era.
- Lawmakers discuss Bitcoin reserves as crypto moves toward mainstream finance.
- EightCo raised $270M+ and plans to hold Worldcoin (WLD) as its main treasury asset.
Crypto isn’t just about Bitcoin and Ethereum anymore. According to Dan Ives, global head of technology research at Wedbush Securities, and CNBC’s Eunice Yoon, the next big wave in the industry is where AI meets crypto. Their recent conversation shed light on how this intersection could reshape finance, authentication, and even regulation in the years ahead.
Lawmakers Begin to Engage
Ives described recent discussions with U.S. lawmakers, including Senators Ted Cruz and Tim Scott, as part of a broader push to give crypto a more legitimate place. He pointed out that the idea of a “Bitcoin Reserve” is gaining traction in Washington, where some see it as a way to treat Bitcoin and other digital assets as official holdings, much like gold.
This shift, Ives argued, signals not an end but the beginning of crypto’s long-term integration into mainstream finance. “This is not stopping,” he said. “This is actually just the start.”
Enter AI + Crypto
The bigger theme Ives pushed was the intersection of AI and crypto. As chairman of EightCo, a company that is building tools combining these two fast-growing fields, he sees digital assets playing a role in what he calls “human proof.” By this, he means using blockchain technology to verify and authenticate digital identities in a world where AI-generated content and bots are becoming harder to distinguish from real people. “From authentication to human proof, this is really going to be a key layer in the buildout of the AI revolution,” Ives explained.
EightCo’s Rapid Rise
EightCo’s shares have surged more than 600% this month, fueled by excitement over its new coin and its connections with high-profile backers, including Sam Altman of OpenAI.
Ives was asked how the new coin would fit into the crypto ecosystem. He compared Bitcoin, which many still view as a payment vehicle or digital gold, and Ethereum, which serves as a platform for building applications. AICO’s coin, he argued, would be different: designed specifically for the intersection of AI and crypto, with a focus on utility and identity verification.
“This is going to be a de facto standard in the future AI,” he said. He predicted that adoption could grow to tens of millions of users, with monetization just beginning. “You’re going to have $50 million, $100 million on this network,” Ives said. “The monetization of it is really just going to start.”
Worldcoin & Treasury Strategy
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$250 million private placement + $20 million from BitMine: EightCo raised about $250 million through a private placement of ~171.2 million shares at $1.46 each. BitMine Immersion (BMNR) also invested another $20 million by buying ~13.7 million shares.
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Worldcoin (WLD) becomes the primary treasury reserve asset: The plan is to use those funds to acquire Worldcoin (WLD) and hold it in the company’s treasury. Ethereum (ETH) and cash may also be part of reserves, but less centrally.
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Ticker change to ORBS: Along with the new strategy, the company intends to change its Nasdaq symbol from “OCTO” to “ORBS.”
Why It Matters
Companies aren’t just experimenting with AI + crypto; some are placing big financial bets by putting crypto assets into their treasuries. Projects like Worldcoin that combine identity verification with decentralized tech seem increasingly relevant in a world of AI-driven deepfakes, bots, and synthetic content.
Having well-known figures involved gives these strategies more visible credibility. It suggests institutional investors are starting to take these PoH / digital identity models seriously.
The Road Ahead
The key things to watch are whether the Worldcoin treasury strategy succeeds in the longer term: how the asset holds up, how the market reacts, and whether the identity systems are adopted broadly. What lawmakers in Washington say, especially after meeting important voices in the context of digital identity in the AI era.
The conversations we heard from Ives suggest we are at the start of a new chapter: one where AI, crypto, identity, and large institutional strategy all cross paths. The real test will be whether ideas become stable systems people can trust.
