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Chris Larsen uses ‘nonprofit’ to pump for-profit XRP treasury stock

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Chris Larsen uses 'nonprofit' to pump for-profit XRP treasury stock

Chris Larsen’s nonprofit, which has received over $190 million in tax-deductible donations, will soon control substantial voting power over for-profit Evernorth, a new XRP treasury stock heading for a Nasdaq listing through blank check company, Armada Acquisition.

Buried inside a 1,158-page SEC Form S-4 filed on March 18, regulations force Larsen to reveal exactly how he’s putting his own interests ahead of regular shareholders who might buy stock on the Nasdaq exchange.

Once the reader finds Larsen’s admissions, they’re clear.

“The economic interests of the Sponsor diverge from the economic interests of holders of the Public Shares,” Larsen admits regarding an entity in which his nonprofit has substantial investment and voting control.

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Larsen’s RippleWorks Inc., an IRS-registered nonprofit, invested $500,000 in cash plus 211,319,096 XRP tokens into Arrington XRP Capital Fund, LP (the “Sponsor”).

As a result, RippleWorks now holds a majority of its limited partner interests.

Arrington XRP Capital Fund merely collects a “customary annual management fee” and must invest all of RippleWorks’ XRP tokens into Evernorth shares.

Arrington XRP Capital Fund’s general partner is an LLC whose sole managing member is tech blogger-turned-venture capitalist Michael Arrington. 

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Although Arrington holds formal voting and dispositive control over Arrington XRP Capital Fund regarding Evernoth, he has a contractual agreement to vote as RippleWorks directs him.

‘This structure may create potential conflicts of interest’

Indeed, an October 17, 2025 agreement requires Arrington XRP Capital Fund to “consult with RippleWorks on any decisions directly related to the disposition or voting of Evernorth Holdings Inc. Stock” and “to vote such shares as directed by RippleWorks.”

In addition, the Larsen Lam Children’s Remainder Trust will contribute 50 million XRP for 1,832,454 shares of Evernorth, giving Larsen even greater sway in the soon-to-be-public company.

Read more: Ripple thinks its SPAC can break XRP stocks losing streak

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Larsen’s risk disclosures are blunt. 

“This structure may create potential conflicts of interest between Mr. Larsen’s duties to Ripple, his influence over RippleWorks’ investment in Arrington XRP Capital Fund, and the interests of Evernorth Holdings Inc. and its stockholders.”

Although IRS filings show Larsen listed as secretary/treasurer with $0 compensation, RippleWorks owned $1.4 billion in assets for fiscal year 2024.

Larsen contributed most of these assets while RippleWorks derived 89% of its revenue in 2024 from dumping some of those assets. Its CEO, Doug Galen, earned $845,945 that year.

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The filing acknowledges that Larsen “does not have direct control over RippleWorks’ voting or investment decisions with respect to Arrington XRP Capital Fund.”

He did, however, co-found this nonprofit, and he sits on its board. Larsen also serves as executive chairman of Ripple, which is contributing a further 126,791,458 XRP to the same company.

The SEC disclosure is frank. Larsen’s “dual roles and affiliations could give rise to situations where his interests as an executive of Ripple differ from or conflict with the interests of Armada Acquisition and holders of Armada Acquisition Class A Common Stock.

Read more: Ripple’s new XRP treasury falls flat on first trading day

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Another XRP treasury sweetener for Chris Larsen

Making Larsen’s deal even more sweet, if XRP rallies before closing, RippleWorks and Ripple receive bonus shares in Evernorth through a closing adjustment.

Even if XRP doesn’t rally, they keep their shares at a contractually fixed price.

RippleWorks emerged in 2015 as one of the first crypto-endowed nonprofits, bankrolled by Larsen and Ripple. It had donated millions of dollars to charitable causes yet still possessed $1.4 billion by the end of 2024.

Its 501(c)(3) tax filings show a peak charitable inflow in fiscal year 2018 of $178 million, the same year that XRP hit its all-time high.

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In summary, a tax-exempt foundation co-founded by Ripple’s executive chairman directs the voting of Arrington XRP Capital Fund’s shares of Evernorth, a for-profit company.

Larsen’s nonprofit and a company he cofounded receive a guaranteed allocation plus extra shares in the soon-to-be publicly traded treasury stock if XRP rallies before the deal closes.

Cash and XRP from Larsen’s nonprofit, the Ripple company he co-founded, and his Children’s Remainder Trust are going into the Nasdaq deal.

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$5 million political donation by BitMEX’s Delo lands amid U.K. crypto crackdown

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$5 million political donation by BitMEX’s Delo lands amid U.K. crypto crackdown

Ben Delo, co-founder of crypto exchange BitMEX, said he donated 4 million pounds ($5.1 million) to Nigel Farage’s Reform UK party, in an opinion piece for The Telegraph Wednesday.

Delo wrote that the contribution was made “since the start of this year” to help build Reform UK into “a genuine alternative party of government.”

The op-ed does not specify whether the donation was made in fiat currency or cryptocurrency, though he also expressed support for a proposed U.K. government moratorium on political donations made in cryptoassets, citing regulatory complexity.

Guidance from the U.K. Electoral Commission, last updated April 7, 2026, states that crypto donations are currently not prohibited under electoral law, but are treated as non-monetary donations and must be valued in pounds at the time of receipt. Parties must also verify donor identity, particularly for contributions above 500 pounds.

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The Commission also noted government plans to introduce a moratorium on crypto donations, potentially applying retrospectively to contributions received from March 25, 2026, though no legal changes have yet taken effect.

Late last month, U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s government announced an immediate moratorium on cryptocurrency donations to political parties, citing concerns that digital assets could be used to obfuscate the origin and motivation behind donations in British politics.

The move placed crypto at the centre of a broader crackdown on foreign interference, signaling that regulators view digital payments as a democratic risk rather than a financial one.

Electoral Commission data does not reveal any contributions listed under Delo or BitMEX.

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Delo did not respond to a CoinDesk request for further information.

Farage acknowledged the support on X, writing that “brave people like Ben Delo” were becoming “even more determined” to back Reform UK.

In December, British multi-billionaire Christopher Harborne, a Thailand-based entrepreneur who has invested in stablecoin issuer Tether and crypto exchange Bitfinex, made a donation of 9 million pounds to Reform.

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Binance Rolls out Prediction Markets for App Using Predict.fun

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Cryptocurrency Exchange, Applications, Binance, Prediction Markets

Binance Wallet has integrated prediction market features into its app, saying it will cover all trading and settlement transaction fees for users as it make a play for a piece of the $20 billion market.

In a Thursday notice, Binance said it will launch probability-based markets as a feature on the company’s app through an integration with third-party platforms, starting with Predict.fun. According to the crypto exchange, the integration will be “gasless,” with the company sponsoring fees for trades and settlements on the BNB Smart Chain.

Cryptocurrency Exchange, Applications, Binance, Prediction Markets
Source: Binance

Prediction market platforms like Kalshi and Polymarket offer users the chance to take a position on the outcome of events in a variety of topics, including politics and sports. The latter has put those platforms in the sights of multiple US state authorities who have filed lawsuits for allegedly violating state gaming laws by offering sports bets.

Binance’s integration is the latest example of a crypto platform moving deeper into prediction markets despite some of the more controversial bets on the platforms. Polymarket, for example, has offered users contracts on events related to US-Israeli military actions against Iran.

Related: DOJ and CFTC seek halt to Arizona action against Kalshi

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According to data from TRM Labs, the monthly transaction volume across prediction markets platforms reached $20 billion in January — a twenty-fold increase from levels seen in early 2025.

Kalshi co-founder denies Trump son is influencing US regulators

While state-level gaming authorities pursue the platforms in court, the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) has claimed it has “exclusive jurisdiction” to oversee prediction markets. Amid challenges by federal regulators to state actions, ties between some of the companies and the current US administration have stoked concerns among industry leaders and lawmakers about conflicts of interest.

In an Axios interview released on Thursday, Kalshi CEO Tarek Mansour and co-founder Luana Lopes Lara addressed questions about conflicts due to hiring US President Donald Trump’s son as a strategic adviser shortly before his father took office. 

“We have never asked for any favors […] and he has never done anything, any regulatory ask, nothing like that,” said Lara, referring to Donald Trump Jr. using his connections to the US government.

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Magazine: Anger grows over Polymarket bets on Iran war: ‘Dystopian death market’