EX-99.1 2 ex99-1.htm EX-99.1

Exhibit 99.1

Eightco Holdings (NASDAQ: ORBS) Reports Total Holdings of Approximately $337 Million, Includes OpenAI, Beast Industries, More Than 11,000 ETH and Over 283 Million WLD Tokens

Eightco treasury composition as of May 20, 2026: $90M OpenAI equity (indirect), $18M Beast Industries equity, 11,068 ETH, 283 million WLD holdings, and $133M cash and equivalents, totaling approximately $337 million

World offers a solution to the ‘double human’ problem in a world proliferating with deepfakes

New independent data shows OpenAI’s coming social network will land in a category already 15–43% non-human, reinforcing demand for Worldcoin’s Proof of Human network

New data shows that bot, AI-generated, and inauthentic activity now ranges from 15% to 75% of activity across eight core internet domains, including 75% of Polymarket trading volume, 53% of web traffic, and 47% of email, confirming that the internet has a human problem

Eightco provides indirect exposure to some of the most innovative private companies including OpenAI and Beast Industries

EASTON, Pa., May 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ Eightco Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: ORBS) (“Eightco” or the “Company”) today provided an update on its total holdings, highlighting its leading position across digital assets and strategic investments in leading private technology companies.

As of May 20, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. ET, ORBS’ holdings include a $90 million investment (indirectly, through SPVs) in OpenAI, an $18 million funded investment in Beast Industries, a $1 million investment in Mythical Games, 283,452,700 Worldcoin (WLD) at $0.25 per WLD (per Coinbase), 11,068 Ethereum (ETH), and approximately $133 million in total cash and stablecoins, for total holdings of approximately $337 million.

Key takeaways from ORBS treasury assets in the past week

ORBS management believes the Company’s treasury portfolio holds some of the most critical components for the future AI and digital financial system. Among the holdings, key highlights in the past week are:

| ● | On May 11, OpenAI launched the Deployment Company, a multi-billion joint venture with 19 partner firms and is designed to place AI deployment engineers directly inside client organizations, partnering with those companies’ own teams to pinpoint the highest-value opportunities for artificial intelligence (OpenAI; Bloomberg).
| ● | On May 15, OpenAI launched ChatGPT Personal Finance for Pro users in the U.S., which OpenAI describes as allowing users to securely link bank, brokerage, and credit accounts across 12,000+ institutions, and further strengthening OpenAI’s relationship with its users (OpenAI).

| ● | On May 12, Beast Industries, led by Jimmy Donaldson (aka MrBeast), made its first ever public presentation to advertisers. Beast unveiled a two-sided creator marketplace and introduced Vyro, its own creator distribution engine. Management guided full-year 2026 revenue to $1.6 billion, up from $899 million in 2025 (Digiday; TIME 100 Most Influential Companies 2026). “We are no longer just a YouTube channel. We’re building a next-generation media platform in the age of AI — using tech, data and global IP to bring brands and fans together at unprecedented scale,” CEO of Beast Industries, Jeff Housenbold, said during the presentation.

| ● | On May 19, a California jury rejected Elon Musk’s claims against OpenAI (WSJ), removing a hurdle for OpenAI. The jury found Musk waited too long to file the lawsuit and the statute of limitations applied.
| ● | On May 20, several media sources reported that OpenAI is allegedly preparing to file an IPO in coming weeks (WSJ). The OpenAI IPO would be viewed as one of the most anticipated IPOs in 2026.
| ● | The White House’s anticipated Executive Order (EO) on AI safety is expected to be announced on May 21. Media sources report the EO directs federal agencies including the Treasury department, the Office of the National Cyber Director, the National Security Agency and the Department of Homeland Security and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency to establish a voluntary clearinghouse with AI companies and infrastructure operators. Many key technology CEOs are expected in attendance including Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI (Washington Post).

“OpenAI Deployment Co creates Palantir-like (NASDAQ: PLTR) forward deployment capabilities and a massive enterprise differentiator compared to its rivals,” Thomas “Tom” Lee, Board Member of Eightco.

“Media buzz around the Beast event reflected the fact that MrBeast is one of a few multi-billion companies that can guide to +75% revenue growth in 2026,” stated Lee.

| ● | Data compiled by Fundstrat shows that “non-humans” now account for the following estimated shares of volume on various platforms: - 75% of Polymarket trading volume - 53% of web traffic - 47% of emails sent - 44% of US equity buy-side execution - 35% of new website creation - 30% of online product reviews

Eightco: Exposure to key mega-trends

Eightco is built around three mega-trends the Company expects to shape the next decade of innovation: artificial intelligence, digital identity, and the creator economy, with positions in each trend through indirect investment in OpenAI (27% of ORBS’ treasury holdings), Worldcoin (21%), and Beast Industries (5%).

Artificial Intelligence — OpenAI

Eightco has invested approximately $90 million in special purpose vehicles with exposure to equity interests in the parent company of OpenAI, representing approximately 27% of treasury assets, one of the highest disclosed concentrations of any listed vehicle.

ChatGPT, OpenAI’s consumer app, is the #1 consumer AI app worldwide (Sensor Tower) and crossed 900 million weekly active users in February 2026, making it the fastest-scaling consumer technology in history (UBS via Reuters).

Digital Identity — WLD Token

Eightco holds over 283 million WLD, approximately 8.31% of circulating supply, the largest publicly disclosed institutional position globally and approximately 21% of the Eightco treasury’s assets.

Worldcoin is the native token of World, a global Proof of Human network built by Tools for Humanity (co-founded by Sam Altman and Alex Blania) and stewarded by the World Foundation. Its Orb devices issue a privacy-preserving World ID that verifies a user is a unique human, not an AI agent.

Under World’s announced business model, applications pay per-verification fees while end-user verification remains free, with both credential issuers and the World protocol monetizing verified-human authentication. World identifies a $6.35 trillion combined addressable revenue opportunity across 13 industries spanning banking, e-commerce, gaming, social media, and agentic AI (per Tools for Humanity).

Creator Economy — Beast Industries

Eightco has invested $18 million in Beast Industries equity, approximately 5% of treasury assets.

Beast Industries operates one of the largest direct-to-consumer reach footprints in the world, with a combined 500 million-plus follower base across platforms, anchored by MrBeast as the most-watched person on YouTube globally. As AI commoditizes content production, distribution and audience trust become increasingly scarce assets.

About Eightco Holdings Inc.

Eightco Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: ORBS) is a publicly traded company executing a first-of-its-kind Worldcoin (WLD) treasury strategy, providing investors single-ticker indirect exposure to three of the defining trends of this cycle: artificial intelligence through its indirect investment in OpenAI, digital identity through its position as the largest public holder of WLD and the Proof of Human protocol, and the creator economy through its equity stake in MrBeast’s Beast Industries. Backed by leading institutional investors including Bitmine Immersion Technologies Inc. (NYSE: BMNR), MOZAYYX, World Foundation, CoinFund, Discovery Capital Management, FalconX, Payward/Kraken, Pantera, and GSR, Eightco is building the infrastructure layer for human verification in the agentic AI era.

For more information:

X: @iamhuman_orbs

Website: 8co.holdings

Frequently Asked Questions

What is ORBS stock?

Eightco Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: ORBS) is a publicly traded company on Nasdaq. ORBS provides indirect exposure to: OpenAI and Beast Industries.

Who owns the most Worldcoin (WLD)?

Eightco Holdings (NASDAQ: ORBS) holds 283 million WLD, approximately 8.31% of circulating supply and the largest publicly disclosed institutional position globally.

What is Proof of Human?

Proof of Human is cryptographic verification that a user is a unique, living person, not a bot or AI agent. It is foundational infrastructure for social networks, banking, agentic commerce, and any system requiring “one person, one account” in the agentic AI era.

How does Eightco (ORBS) relate to Proof of Human?

Eightco Holdings (NASDAQ: ORBS) is the largest publicly disclosed institutional holder of Worldcoin (WLD), the token powering World’s Proof of Human network.

Who is the CEO of Eightco Holdings?

Kevin O’Donnell is the CEO of Eightco Holdings (NASDAQ: ORBS). The Company’s Board includes Tom Lee (Managing Partner and Head of Research at Fundstrat, and Chairman of Bitmine Immersion Technologies (NYSE: BMNR)) and, as an advisor to the Board, Brett Winton (Chief Futurist at ARK Invest).

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements in this press release other than statements of historical fact could be deemed forward-looking, including, without limitation, statements regarding: the Company’s expectations that artificial intelligence, digital identity, and the creator economy will shape the next decade of innovation; expectations regarding the development and adoption of agentic artificial intelligence; expectations that OpenAI’s Deployment Company creates enterprise differentiation capabilities compared to rivals; media reports regarding OpenAI allegedly preparing to file an IPO and expectations that an OpenAI IPO would be one of the most anticipated IPOs of 2026; Beast Industries’ management guidance of full-year 2026 revenue of $1.6 billion; expectations regarding Beast Industries’ capabilities as a next-generation media platform and statements that MrBeast is one of a few multi-billion companies that can guide to revenue growth of more than 75% in 2026; expectations regarding the adoption of the World ID protocol across enterprise and consumer applications; beliefs that Proof-of-Human verification is becoming essential infrastructure for social networks, banking, agentic commerce, and financial systems in the agentic AI era; statements regarding non-human and bot activity percentages across internet platforms, including Polymarket, web traffic, email, equity execution, website creation, and online product reviews; statements regarding World’s addressable revenue opportunity across industries spanning banking, e-commerce, gaming, social media, and agentic AI; the Company’s treasury strategy and anticipated benefits of its indirect positions in OpenAI (through special purpose vehicles) and its positions in WLD and Beast Industries; the Company’s belief that its treasury portfolio holds critical components for the future AI and digital financial system; statements regarding the importance of distribution and audience trust as AI commoditizes content production; and statements regarding the anticipated White House Executive Order on AI safety. Words such as “plans,” “expects,” “will,” “anticipates,” “continue,” “expand,” “advance,” “develop,” “believes,” “guidance,” “target,” “may,” “remain,” “project,” “outlook,” “intend,” “estimate,” “could,” “should,” and other words and terms of similar meaning and expression are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain such terms. Forward-looking statements are based on management’s current beliefs and assumptions that are subject to risks and uncertainties and are not guarantees of future performance. Actual results could differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement as a result of various factors, including, without limitation: the Company’s inability to direct the management or operations of private businesses where the Company is not a controlling stockholder, including OpenAI and Beast Industries; risk of loss or markdown on the Company’s strategic investments, including its indirect position in OpenAI equity (held through special purpose vehicles), its position in WLD, and its position in Beast Industries equity; the Company’s ability to maintain compliance with Nasdaq’s continued listing requirements; unexpected costs, charges or expenses that reduce the Company’s capital resources or otherwise delay capital deployment; inability to raise adequate capital to fund or scale its business operations or strategic investments; volatility in digital asset prices, including WLD and ETH, which could materially affect the value of the Company’s treasury holdings; regulatory changes, future legislation and rulemaking negatively impacting digital assets, artificial intelligence adoption, or biometric data collection; risks related to the development, adoption, and market acceptance of Proof-of-Human technology and the World network; uncertainty regarding the pace and trajectory of agentic AI deployment in enterprise and consumer applications; uncertainty regarding OpenAI’s product roadmap and the timing or success of any IPO; risks related to Beast Industries’ ability to achieve its revenue guidance or growth projections; risks that third-party data regarding non-human internet activity may be inaccurate or subject to change; uncertainty regarding the scope, timing, or implementation of anticipated government regulation of AI, including the anticipated White House Executive Order on AI safety; and shifting public and governmental positions on digital assets or artificial intelligence-related industries. Given these risks and uncertainties, you are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements. For a discussion of other risks and uncertainties, and other important factors, any of which could cause Eightco’s actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements herein, see Eightco’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), including the risk factors and other disclosures in its Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on April 15, 2026 and other publicly available SEC filings. All information in this press release is as of the date of the release, and Eightco undertakes no duty to update this information or to publicly announce the results of any revisions to any of such statements to reflect future events or developments, except as required by law.

SOURCE Eightco Holdings (NASDAQ: ORBS)

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