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Peter Thiel Cuts All Ties With Ethereum Treasury Firm

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Ethereum (ETH) Price Performance.

Billionaire venture capitalist and co-founder of PayPal and Palantir Technologies, Peter Thiel’s Founders Fund, has fully divested from ETHZilla, a digital asset treasury firm that holds Ethereum (ETH).

The development comes as digital asset treasury firms face mounting pressure amid the broader crypto market downturn.

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Peter Thiel Cuts Ties With ETHZilla During Crypto Market Slump

The digital asset treasury wave gained momentum last year, with several companies adopting Strategy’s (formerly MicroStrategy) 2020 Bitcoin (BTC) playbook. Firms began accumulating cryptocurrencies as reserve assets, attracting heightened investor attention as prices climbed and equity valuations expanded.

BeInCrypto reported in August 2025 that through entities such as The Founders Fund, Thiel controlled a 7.5% stake in ETHZilla. However, the latest SEC filing shows that entities managed by Thiel reported zero ownership in the company by the end of 2025, indicating a complete exit.

“This matters because Thiel is considered smart institutional capital, and a full exit from an ETH treasury firm could signal shifting sentiment, risk reduction, or a strategic rotation away from Ethereum exposure,” Crypto Town Hall posted.

The move comes against the backdrop of a broader market downturn. In October, crypto markets suffered a sharp downturn, often referred to as the “10/10” or “Black Friday” crash. The subsequent months extended the decline.

According to CryptoRank data, Ethereum fell 28.4% in Q4 2025, marking its first negative fourth quarter since 2022. Although 2026 began with a brief recovery, the rebound quickly reversed.

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ETH closed January 2026 down 17.7%, and so far in February, its price has declined another 18.1%. At press time, it traded at $2,017.

Ethereum (ETH) Price Performance.
Ethereum (ETH) Price Performance. Source: TradingView

Treasury Strategy Under Strain as Ethereum Decline Hits Corporate Holders

The sustained price weakness has directly impacted digital asset treasury firms, reducing the value of their crypto holdings and pressuring stock prices. For example, BitMine is currently sitting on unrealized losses exceeding $7 billion. Furthermore, its share price is down 25.7% year-to-date.

ETHZilla, which previously operated as 180 Life Sciences before pivoting toward an Ethereum treasury strategy and rebranding, has faced similar headwinds. At its peak, the company held more than 100,000 ETH.

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As market conditions deteriorated in October, the company moved quickly to trim its exposure. Toward the end of that month, ETHZilla offloaded roughly $40 million in Ether, directing the proceeds toward share buybacks. 

A second round of sales followed in December, totaling about $74.5 million. The funds were allocated to repay senior secured convertible debt. CoinGecko data shows the company now holds 69,802 ETH, a substantial reduction from its previous peak position.

The company has since outlined yet another strategic shift. According to Bloomberg, ETHZilla’s wholly owned subsidiary, called ETHZilla Aerospace, is seeking to provide tokenized exposure to equity in leased jet engines.

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$150B in US Tax Refunds Could Fuel Fresh Crypto Inflows, Historical Data Suggests

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A flood of fresh cash might about to land in crypto. Roughly $150 billion in tax refunds will hit U.S. consumer accounts by the end of March.

Some analysts think part of that money could drift straight into risk assets. Including crypto. Wells Fargo strategists say this refund wave, boosted by 2026 tax incentives, may quietly fuel retail participation again.

And the timing is interesting. Markets are sitting at key technical levels. If even a fraction of that capital rotates into digital assets, the retail bid could show up right when it matters most.

Key Takeaways

  • $150B Liquidity Wave: Wells Fargo analysts project roughly $150 billion in refunds will be distributed by late March.
  • Refunds Are Up 11%: Early IRS data shows the average refund size has jumped to $2,290, increasing retail purchasing power.
  • Retail Catalyst: Historical data suggests the “refund effect” correlates with increased inflows into retail-heavy crypto assets.

Why Does Refund Season Matter for Crypto?

Liquidity moves markets. And right now, the U.S. Treasury is about to inject a wave of it. After the One Big Beautiful Bill passed in July 2025, tax cuts boosted refund sizes for a lot of Americans.

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Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has already hinted that refunds this season could be “very large.” That means more disposable cash landing in bank accounts.

Historically, lump sum payouts like this do not just go toward bills. A slice often flows into investments. And in recent cycles, that has included digital assets. Retail participation tends to rise when people feel flush.

Refund averages usually peak around mid February. That timing lines up with the current surge in activity across several altcoins. When fresh cash meets technical breakout zones, the reaction can be sharper than most expect.

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The Data: Bigger Checks, Faster Deposits

The early numbers for the 2026 filing season are already coming in hot. By February 6, the IRS had processed more than 20.6 million returns and sent out nearly $16.954 billion in refunds.

The average check is now around $2,290, up roughly 10.9% from last year.

Source: Tax Foundation

Direct deposits are even higher, averaging about $2,388. And the money moves quickly. Most e filers see funds within about 21 days, which means that cash is ready to be deployed almost immediately.

Another wave is coming too. Once PATH Act restrictions lift after February 15, refunds tied to the Earned Income Tax Credit start flowing. Historically, that second wave is larger and hits later in February.

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Fresh liquidity entering an already concentrated exchange environment can have an outsized effect. Especially if even a small slice finds its way into risk assets.

Will This Trigger the Next Leg Up?

Tax refund season hitting at the same time as improving regulatory tone is not random timing. It creates a strong backdrop for risk assets. Funding rates are already flashing extremes, which tells you shorts are crowded.

If even a fraction of retail refund money rotates into spot crypto, that buying pressure could trigger a fast short squeeze.

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The macro tone adds fuel. Political signals around clearer crypto legislation are improving sentiment. When retail feels regulatory risk is fading, confidence returns quicker.

Over the next six weeks, roughly $150 billion will move into consumer accounts. Not all of it will hit crypto, but it does not need to. Even a small percentage can shift momentum in a leveraged market.

Keep an eye on the weekly IRS updates toward the end of February. That data will show whether the liquidity wave is building or already peaking.

The post $150B in US Tax Refunds Could Fuel Fresh Crypto Inflows, Historical Data Suggests appeared first on Cryptonews.

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New Zealand Dollar Weakens After Central Bank Decision

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New Zealand Dollar Weakens After Central Bank Decision

The New Zealand dollar weakened today after the Reserve Bank of New Zealand (RBNZ) announced its decision to keep interest rates unchanged.

While the decision itself was widely expected, the accompanying forecasts drew attention due to their dovish tone. According to the official statement:
→ monetary policy is likely to remain accommodative for some time, although the possibility of a rate hike in the fourth quarter was not ruled out;
→ inflation is returning to the target range.

The currency market reacted by pushing the NZD lower against major counterparts. NZD/USD, for example, fell to its lowest level in nearly two weeks.

Technical Analysis of NZD/USD

The New Zealand dollar had been showing bullish momentum since late autumn 2025, resulting in the formation of an ascending channel. Notably, the channel’s median line shifted from acting as resistance to serving as support (highlighted by the thicker lines).

It is worth noting that the reversal from the 21 January peak — where price touched the upper boundary — occurred in a sharp manner. Near the 2025 high, bears appear to have regained confidence and seized the initiative.

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→ From a bullish perspective, the aforementioned median line may provide support.
→ From a bearish standpoint, a descending trend line drawn through the lower high of 12 February may act as resistance.

Against this backdrop, it is reasonable to assume that the market could enter a consolidation phase over the coming weeks.

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Peter Thiel’s Founders Fund Exits ETHZilla as Ether Treasuries Strain

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Peter Thiel’s Founders Fund Exits ETHZilla as Ether Treasuries Strain

Billionaire tech investor Peter Thiel’s Founders Fund has fully exited Ether treasury company ETHZilla, according to a Tuesday filing with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). 

Entities linked to Thiel now report owning zero shares in the company in a 13G amendment filed on Tuesday, after disclosing a 7.5% stake on Aug. 4, 2025. 

At that time, the group beneficially owned 11,592,241 shares of what was then known as 180 Life Sciences Corp., representing 7.5% of the 154,032,084 shares outstanding and worth about $40 million based on trading at around $3.50 per share in early August.

Founders Fund 13G Filing with SEC. Source: SEC

180 Life Sciences rebrands to ETHZilla

180 Life Sciences raised $425 million in July 2025 to launch an Ether treasury strategy and rebrand as ETHZilla. 

The company later moved to raise another $350 million via convertible bonds in September to expand its Ether (ETH) holdings and deploy them across decentralized finance (DeFi) and tokenized assets, at one point holding more than 100,000 Ether.

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Related: Bitmine’s staked Ether holdings point to $164M in annual staking revenue

ETHZilla began unloading tokens as markets turned, liquidating 24,291 Ether for $74.5 million in December 2025 at an average price of $3,068.69 per token, to repay debt, leaving about 69,800 ETH on its balance sheet.

Strain on Ether treasury company models

Thiel’s exit is the latest stress signal for public companies with crypto treasuries built around Ether rather than Bitcoin (BTC). 

Other large Ether accumulators are taking different approaches. BitMine Immersion Technologies, the largest listed Ethereum holder, acquired a further 40,613 ETH on Feb. 9, lifting its total holdings to more than 4.325 million ETH, worth about $8.8 billion at current prices.

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Trend Research, on the other hand, began unwinding its entire Ethereum position this month, selling 651,757 ETH for about $1.34 billion on Feb. 8, locking in an estimated $747 million realized loss.

ETHZilla has since tried to diversify by launching ETHZilla Aerospace, a subsidiary offering tokenized exposure to leased jet engines. However, Thiel’s exit magnifies how volatile Ether‑heavy treasury strategies have become in a market still digesting last year’s peak.

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