Eightco Holdings (NASDAQ: ORBS) Reports Total Holdings of Approximately $380 Million, Includes OpenAI, Beast Industries, More Than 16,000 ETH and Nearly 302 Million WLD Tokens

Eightco treasury composition as of September 2, 2026: $90M OpenAI equity (indirect), $18M Beast Industries equity, 16,278 ETH, nearly 302 million WLD holdings, and $122M cash and equivalents, totaling approximately $380 million

Eightco recently repurchased over 25 million shares of common stock in the last month under its previously announced $125 million share repurchase program

Eightco previously participated in World Foundation's $52.5M funding round, led by Pantera with participation from Bain Capital Crypto, Selini Capital, Susquehanna Crypto, and additional investors

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

EASTON, Pa., Sept. 3, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Eightco Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: ORBS) ("Eightco" or the "Company") today provided an update on its total holdings, highlighting its position across digital assets and strategic investments in leading private technology companies. Over the past month, Eightco has repurchased over 25 million shares of its common stock under its previously announced $125 million share repurchase program.

As of September 2, 2026, at 8:00 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, 301,971,219 Worldcoin (WLD) at $0.37 per WLD (per Coinbase), 16,278 Ethereum (ETH), and approximately $122 million in total cash and stablecoins, for total holdings of approximately $380 million.

Top Headlines Driving the News:

Eightco's management believes the Company's treasury portfolio holds some of the most critical components for the future AI and digital financial system. This week's top headlines include:

• On September 2, World announced it has open-sourced ProveKit, a zero-knowledge identity proving toolkit. The launch makes ProveKit available to developers outside World. ProveKit is built into World ID and powers the privacy-preserving features that make proof of human useful for enterprises, consumer platforms, and developers (World).
• On September 1, SB Energy, an AI power infrastructure company backed by Softbank, OpenAI and Nvidia, filed for a potential IPO. In its initial filing, the company said it is "substantially dependent" on the performance of OpenAI as both a tenant and equity investor in SB Energy (CNBC).
• On September 1, MrBeast released a book with one of the world's bestselling authors James Patterson, called The Most Dangerous Games (HarperCollins).
• On August 31, OpenAI announced that its advertising business, ChatGPT Ads, reached $1 billion in annualized revenue run rate less than 200 days after launch. The platform is now used by tens of thousands of advertisers and continues to expand globally (Axios).
• On August 31, OpenAI announced its support for the California Senate Bill 1119 to advance youth AI safety. This legislation is intended to establish meaningful safeguards for how young people use AI while preserving their access to tools that can help them learn, create, and prepare for the future (OpenAI).
• On August 21, it was announced that peaqOS and World ID partnered to enable Proof of Human for robots and machines. A machine can check that the person in front of it is a real human, and the same one who placed the order. It never learns a name, a face, or a number (peaq).

"AI stocks have been under pressure recently, partly a result of backlash against data centers. This seems to be an issue resonating with voters," said Tom Lee, Board Member of ORBS. "But despite this setback, AI progress continues at a rapid pace as evidenced by the multiple meaningful announcements in the past week."

"Eightco executed additional share buybacks as the Company has judged that accretively acquiring shares is a high return use of capital," stated Lee.

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 (24% of ORBS' treasury holdings), Worldcoin (29%), 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 24% 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). On July 31, 2026, OpenAI announced that its models now reach more than one billion active users and more than two million businesses. Six months after signing up, people send roughly 50 percent more messages each day and use ChatGPT for about twice as many kinds of work.

Digital Identity — WLD Token

Eightco holds nearly 302 million WLD, approximately 8.3% of circulating supply, the largest publicly disclosed institutional position globally and approximately 29% 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, 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, and holds one of the largest publicly disclosed positions in Worldcoin (WLD).

Who owns the most Worldcoin (WLD)?

Eightco Holdings (NASDAQ: ORBS) holds nearly 302 million WLD, approximately 8.3% 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; management's belief that the Company's treasury portfolio holds some of the most critical components for the future AI and digital financial system; management's belief that accretively acquiring shares is a high return use of capital; statements that AI progress continues at a rapid pace; statements regarding World's addressable revenue opportunity of $6.35 trillion across industries spanning banking, e-commerce, gaming, social media, and agentic AI; statements that distribution and audience trust become increasingly scarce assets as AI commoditizes content production; statements that the Company is building the infrastructure layer for human verification in the agentic AI era; statements that Proof of Human is foundational infrastructure for social networks, banking, agentic commerce, and systems requiring verified human identity; statements regarding the Company providing indirect exposure to defining trends through its investments in OpenAI, WLD, and Beast Industries; and statements regarding continued share repurchases under the Company's $125 million share repurchase program. Words such as "plans," "expects," "will," "anticipates," "continue," "expand," "advance," "develop," "believes," "guidance," "target," "may," "remain," "project," "outlook," "intend," "estimate," "could," "should," "positioned," "view," 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 it 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, business model developments, and any future liquidity events; risks related to Beast Industries' ability to achieve its growth projections; competition in the digital identity and AI infrastructure markets; reliance on third-party sources for the valuation of certain investments; uncertainty regarding MrBeast's continued success and the performance of Beast Industries' creator-driven business model; risks related to the Company's concentrated positions in certain digital assets and private company investments; risks related to the Company's share repurchase program, including the timing, pricing, and amount of any repurchases; shifting public and governmental positions on digital assets or artificial intelligence-related industries, including potential backlash against data centers; risks related to the timing, features, and commercial reception of OpenAI's model releases; risks related to OpenAI's advertising business and its ability to sustain revenue growth; and risks that WLD supply dynamics may not result in anticipated market effects. 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, Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the SEC on May 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 the forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect actual results or any change in its expectations.

 

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Eightco Holdings (NASDAQ: ORBS) Reports Total Holdings of Approximately $380 Million, Includes OpenAI, Beast Industries, More Than 16,000 ETH and Nearly 302 Million WLD Tokens

Eightco Holdings (NASDAQ: ORBS) Reports Total Holdings of Approximately $380 Million, Includes OpenAI, Beast Industries, More Than 16,000 ETH and Nearly 302 Million WLD Tokens

Q3 2026 survey reveals weaker economic expectations, elevated recession concerns, more selective underwriting practices, and continued borrower investment in growth initiatives.

The Q3 2026 J.S. Held Lending Climate in America survey finds US lenders are becoming increasingly cautious as geopolitical instability, recession concerns, and broader economic uncertainty intensify. Survey respondents reported weaker expectations for both near-term and long-term economic performance, continued selectivity in underwriting larger loans, and heightened focus on risk management. At the same time, borrowers continue to pursue growth initiatives, including product development, capital investment, market expansion, and hiring, creating a lending environment characterized by both opportunity and increased discipline.

NEW YORK, Sept. 3, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Global consulting firm J.S. Held today published the results of its Q3 2026 Lending Climate in America survey, offering insight into how US lenders are assessing economic conditions, credit risk, borrower activity, and market expectations. The latest findings point to a lending environment marked by growing caution. Concerns regarding geopolitical instability, recession risk, and policy uncertainty remain elevated, while lender expectations for both near-term and longer-term economic performance have weakened. Despite this more guarded outlook, borrowers continue to pursue investment and expansion initiatives, highlighting a notable disconnect between lender sentiment and borrower activity.

To review the complete findings from the Q3 2026 J.S. Held Lending Climate in America survey, visit: https://www.jsheld.com/insights/articles/lending-climate-in-america.

Lenders Grow More Cautious About the Economic Outlook

The survey found a meaningful decline in lender expectations for both the next six months and the period beyond. Weighted average economic outlook scores fell from Q2 levels, while the percentage of respondents assigning below-average grades to the US economy increased across both time horizons. Recession concerns also remained among the most frequently cited risks affecting the economy.

"The Q3 results indicate lenders are approaching the market with a heightened awareness of downside risk," said J.S. Held Senior Managing Director and Strategic Advisory Practice Lead, Michael Jacoby. "While capital remains available for well-positioned borrowers, lenders are placing greater emphasis on disciplined underwriting, liquidity strength, and resilience in uncertain economic conditions. The survey suggests that risk management has become as important as growth in current lending decisions."

Geopolitical and Recession Concerns Continue to Shape Decision-Making

Geopolitical Risk/War remained the most frequently cited factor expected to affect the economy in the coming six months, while concerns regarding a potential US recession ranked second. Policy risk, political uncertainty, debt-related concerns, and stock market stability also remained prominent among respondents. Collectively, the findings suggest lenders continue to evaluate a broad range of risks extending beyond traditional credit fundamentals.

"What stands out in this quarter's results is the persistence of geopolitical concerns alongside growing recession expectations," said Livia Paggi, Senior Managing Director and political risk and business intelligence expert at J.S. Held. "Many of the risks lenders identified are interconnected. Geopolitical tensions increasingly influence economic forecasts, trade dynamics, supply chains, commodity markets, and investment decisions, making them a more central consideration in financial planning and risk assessment."

Borrowers Continue Investing Despite Greater Economic Uncertainty

While lender sentiment became more cautious, respondents reported that their customers continue to pursue growth-oriented initiatives. Introducing new products and services, raising additional capital, making capital investments, entering new markets, and hiring employees were among the most frequently cited customer priorities. Acquisition activity remained comparatively limited, suggesting organizations continue to favor organic growth and internal investment strategies.

The contrast between lender caution and borrower expansion plans indicates that many companies remain committed to long-term growth opportunities despite a more uncertain economic backdrop.

Underwriting Remains Selective as Risk Management Takes Priority

Although maintaining existing loan structures remained the most common response across all loan categories, lenders continued to demonstrate greater conservatism toward larger credits. Tightening remained most prevalent among loans exceeding $25 million, while smaller loans saw comparatively greater willingness to relax lending terms.

"Capital has not disappeared from the market, but lenders are becoming increasingly selective in how they deploy it," said Kevin Doyle, Director in J.S. Held's Strategic Advisory practice. "Borrowers who can clearly demonstrate financial performance, operational stability, and preparedness are likely to be better positioned in this environment. The survey reflects a market where underwriting standards remain disciplined even as competition for certain opportunities persists."

Volatility Expectations Broaden Across Industries

Financial Services remained the industry most frequently identified as likely to experience volatility in the coming six months, followed by Energy and Power, Consumer Products and Services, Agriculture, and Real Estate. The results suggest lenders expect potential disruption across a wide range of sectors rather than concentrating risk within a single portion of the economy.

Interest Rate Expectations Remain Balanced

Respondents' expectations regarding Federal Reserve policy remained relatively stable compared with Q2. While more lenders continued to anticipate some degree of rate increases than decreases, the overall distribution of responses remained balanced, resulting in a weighted average expectation that was essentially unchanged from the prior quarter. The findings point to a more measured and data-dependent outlook for monetary policy than was evident earlier in 2026.

Experienced Support for Complex Business Challenges

When organizations, lenders, investors, and stakeholders face decisions that materially affect enterprise value, J.S. Held provides strategic, financial, and operational expertise to help clients evaluate risk, navigate uncertainty, and make informed decisions. Through its Strategic Advisory practice, J.S. Held helps clients address evolving credit conditions, restructuring challenges, liquidity concerns, operational issues, and complex stakeholder matters.

About J.S. Held

J.S. Held is a global consulting firm that combines technical, scientific, financial, and strategic expertise to advise clients seeking to realize value and mitigate risk. Our professionals serve as trusted advisors to organizations facing high stakes matters demanding urgent attention, staunch integrity, proven experience, clear-cut analysis, and an understanding of both tangible and intangible assets. The firm provides a comprehensive suite of services, products, and data that enable clients to navigate complex, contentious, and often catastrophic situations.

More than 1,500 professionals serve organizations across six continents, including 84% of the Global 200 Law Firms, 75% of the Forbes Top 20 Insurance Companies, and 71% of Fortune 100 Companies.

J.S. Held, its affiliates and subsidiaries are not certified public accounting firm(s) and do not provide audit, attest, or any other public accounting services. J.S. Held is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice. Securities offered through PM Securities, LLC, d/b/a Phoenix IB or Ocean Tomo Investments, a part of J.S. Held, member FINRA/SIPC.

Contact

Kristi L. Stathis | Global Public Relations | +1 786 833 4864 | Kristi.Stathis@jsheld.com

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J.S. Held Lending Climate Survey Finds Growing Lender Caution Amid Rising Economic and Geopolitical Risks