Files cast light on Jeffrey Epstein’s ties to cryptocurrency

February 9, 2026

TL;DR

Newly released US Department of Justice documents reveal Jeffrey Epstein's early financial support for Bitcoin and investments in major crypto companies.
Epstein invested $3 million in Coinbase in 2014 and also funded Blockstream, a Bitcoin technology firm.
His financing of Bitcoin's development was partly channeled through donations to MIT's Media Lab, which supported the Digital Currency Initiative.
Industry reactions are largely muted, with some viewing Epstein as a skeptical investor and others suggesting he aimed to undermine Bitcoin.
Coinbase, where Epstein invested, has grown into a multibillion-dollar company, with co-founder Brian Armstrong influencing crypto regulation.
Fred Ehrsam, a Coinbase co-founder, communicated with Brock Pierce regarding Epstein's investment and expressed a willingness to meet Epstein.
Epstein later sold half his Coinbase shares to Pierce's firm, Blockchain Capital, for $15 million in 2018.
Blockstream stated it has no financial connection to Epstein, asserting he was a limited partner in Joichi Ito's fund which later divested.
Luke Dashjr, an early Bitcoin contributor, called for Blockstream CEO Adam Back's resignation due to ties with Epstein.
Others like Charlotte Fang and Kadan Stadelmann downplayed the significance of Epstein's investments, noting Bitcoin's decentralized nature and Epstein's early exit from his investments.

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