SBF’s venture capital capabilities are being re-evaluated: if he had not been imprisoned, his investment wealth returns could have reached $100 billion.
According to Forbes, SBF’s early investment portfolio is undergoing renewed market scrutiny, with some analysts suggesting that, had he not been imprisoned due to the FTX collapse, his venture capital strategy could theoretically have generated wealth gains of up to approximately $100 billion.
Prior to the FTX collapse, SBF had built an investment portfolio spanning several high-profile companies—including Anthropic, SpaceX, Robinhood, and Cursor, an AI-powered programming tool—widely regarded as highly forward-looking.
Industry insiders note that he had already placed strategic bets on key sectors ahead of the AI boom. Specifically: Cursor recently partnered with SpaceX, with its valuation potentially reaching $60 billion; Anthropic’s valuation has already approached $90 billion.
Rory O’Driscoll, Partner at Scale Venture Partners, stated that SBF invested in multiple core AI companies before ChatGPT’s emergence—“demonstrating rare investment acumen.”
However, this “investment genius narrative” was ultimately upended by the FTX collapse. SBF is currently serving a 25-year prison sentence for misappropriating over $8 billion in customer funds.
At his peak, his personal net worth reached approximately $24 billion, landing him on the Forbes 400 list. Today, his venture capital prowess and financial crime history are inextricably intertwined—making him one of the most controversial figures in crypto history.
[Odaily]
Iran seizes and confiscates the assets of 22 individuals linked to the U.S. and Israel.
According to CCTV News, as instructed by the Iranian judicial authorities, the assets of 22 people with ties to the US and Israel in Semnan Province have been identified, seized, and confiscated.
It is reported that all movable and immovable properties, bank accounts, and other assets of the aforementioned personnel have been seized, and they are also prohibited from any financial transfers and transactions. Currently, the Semnan Province judicial authorities are hearing the case.
The judicial authorities pointed out that this move is based on the maintenance of public rights and the implementation of the “Law on Strengthening Punishment for Espionage,” aimed at combating acts of cooperation with the Israeli regime that endanger national security and interests.
[PANews]
Planet Daily
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Crypto exchange Bullish acquires Equiniti for $4.20B;
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Strategy will hold its Q1 2026 earnings call, with Bitcoin holdings increasing from 555,500 to 818,300 from the end of Q1 last year;
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Predict.fun launches “When will Polymarket launch its official token?”, with the probability of launching before June 30th temporarily reported at 9%;
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Coinbase CEO: Coinbase is laying off approximately 14% of its staff due to market conditions and a transition to an AI-native architecture;
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Loracle.hl sold 556,700 HYPE for $22.90M and still holds over $32.00M in HYPE;
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Polygon launches privacy stablecoin payment function, using zero-knowledge proofs to hide both parties and amounts of transactions;
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Iran seizes 5 ships carrying approximately 200,000 liters of smuggled fuel;
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The UK’s 30-year government bond yield climbed to 5.76%, the highest level since 1998.
The yield on the UK’s 30-year government bonds rose to 5.76%, the highest level since 1998.
The UK’s 30-year government bond yield rose to 5.76%, the highest level since 1998.
[Odaily]
Iran seizes five vessels carrying approximately 200,000 liters of smuggled fuel.
Local time on the 5th, the border guard of the Iranian Law Enforcement Command announced that in order to strengthen the control of the coastal waterways of Khuzestan Province, the border guards learned that two batches of fuel were attempting to leave the country through confirmed routes and planned to sell them to intermediaries in the Persian Gulf coastal countries. Law enforcement officers then identified and seized 4 ships, seizing 130,000 liters of smuggled diesel fuel on board.
In addition, personnel from the Mahshahr Maritime Police Base seized a merchant ship and seized 68,000 liters of fuel oil during another independent operation. A total of 8 suspects were arrested in the two operations.
The seized fuel oil and the personnel involved have been handed over to the relevant departments for legal proceedings after the initial case was sorted out.
[Odaily]
The Wasabi protocol attacker has deposited all the stolen funds into Tornado Cash.
According to on-chain analyst Specter, the Wasabi protocol attacker has deposited all stolen funds into Tornado Cash, totaling approximately $5.9 million.
Furthermore, North Korean hacker groups are also laundering stolen funds from KelpDAO and LayerZero via Tornado Cash. They first cross-chain assets to Bitcoin, route them through the Wasabi Mixer, and then cross-chain them back to Ethereum upon withdrawal.
These funds are then deposited into Tornado Cash, withdrawn to new wallets, and dispersed to multiple addresses. The attackers then use these wallets to deploy tokens, buy them with stolen funds, remove liquidity from the deployment wallet, and cross-chain the assets to Tron (USDT). After holding the funds for several hours or days, they are finally sent to OTC-associated wallets.
[Odaily Planet Daily]
Crypto venture capital firm Ethereal Ventures has disclosed for the first time that the total size of its two funds is approximately $150 million.
On May 5, according to Fortune, crypto venture capital firm Ethereal Ventures issued its first public statement nearly five years after its founding. The VC firm was co-founded in 2021 by Min Teo and Ethereum co-founder Joe Lubin. Its two funds have a combined size of approximately $150 million, and to date, it has invested in over 80 early-stage projects, including EigenLayer.
It is reported that Ethereal Ventures’ first fund has demonstrated strong Distributed Paid-In Capital (DPI) performance, while the second fund has deployed less than one-quarter of its capital, retaining ample “dry powder.”
[PANews]
A whale deposited 1.5 million USDC into Hyperliquid to go long on Micron.
On May 5, according to Lookonchain monitoring, a whale deposited 1.5 million USDC into Hyperliquid and opened a 5x leveraged long position on Micron (MU).
The current position holds 6,290 xyz:MU.
[PANews]
FalconX Partners with Sygnum to Launch Tokenized Credit Service for Institutional Clients
Cryptocurrency broker FalconX has partnered with Swiss digital asset bank Sygnum to launch a tokenized credit service for institutional clients. M11 Credit and Pareto will manage the product, oversee collateral custody infrastructure, and integrate compliance tools to meet institutional standards.
This product is not available to U.S. investors. Eligibility is limited to qualified Sygnum Bank clients and subject to jurisdiction-specific eligibility requirements.
[Foresight News]
Paypal’s first-quarter revenue was $8.35B, higher than market expectations.
On May 5th, according to Jinshi reports, Paypal (PYPL.O) announced Q1 2026 revenue of $8.35B, compared to $7.791B in the same period last year, and a market expectation of $8.046B.
[PANews]
An entity made over $1.6 million in profit due to ZEREBRO’s delisting from Hyperliquid.
According to Onchain Lens monitoring, a certain entity’s ZEREBRO long positions were liquidated due to ZEREBRO being delisted from Hyperliquid, resulting in a profit of over $1.60M.
This entity opened the position on April 17, prior to any delisting proposals made by Hyperliquid validators.
[Odaily]
South Korean listed company ITCEN Global raises 40 billion KRW to expand its Web3 business
On May 5th, according to Chosun, South Korean listed IT service provider ITCEN Global announced that it has raised 40.00 billion Korean won (approximately $3.00 million USD) through the issuance of convertible bonds. This round of financing was subscribed by ITC Holdings, which is wholly owned by KCGI Innovation Growth ESG Fund.
The funds will be used to expand new businesses such as Web3 and Security Token Offering (STO). The company stated that if the South Korean digital asset regulatory framework is implemented in the second half of the year, related businesses are expected to accelerate.
[PANews]
EU Energy Commissioner: The world is facing the most severe energy crisis in history
On the 5th local time, EU Energy Commissioner Dan Jørgensen stated that the world is facing the most severe energy crisis in history.
Since the escalation of the situation in the Middle East, EU countries have spent more than $350.00 billion extra on fuel imports without receiving any additional supply.
[Golden Ten]
SBF’s venture capital capabilities are being re-evaluated: Early bets on AI giants, theoretical wealth may reach the hundred billion dollar level.
May 5th news, according to Forbes, SBF’s early investment portfolio is being re-examined by the market. Some believe that if he had not been imprisoned due to the FTX collapse, his venture capital layout could have theoretically brought a wealth increase of up to approximately $100.00B.
Before the FTX collapse, SBF had built an investment map covering several star companies, including Anthropic, SpaceX, Robinhood, and the AI programming tool Cursor, etc., and was considered to have significant foresight.
[PANews]
Bitget integrates Coincidence AI to strengthen the UEX intelligent trading infrastructure
Bitget has integrated the AI trading platform Coincidence AI, introducing real-time decision support and enhanced risk monitoring capabilities to the platform’s trading environment, further improving its intelligent trading infrastructure under the panoramic exchange (UEX) framework.
Through this integration, Bitget users can directly use the market behavior analysis and position risk assessment functions provided by Coincidence AI. The system continuously processes market data based on machine learning, providing more structured decision support for autonomous trading and systematic trading, helping users to identify market changes more timely and optimize position management.
In addition, Coincidence AI’s Adaptive Agent module will also be connected simultaneously to assist traders in managing exposure in market fluctuations.
[Foresight News]
Today’s Market Pulse
Crypto markets continue their institutional integration, with traditional finance giants deepening their presence while geopolitical tensions reshape regional investment landscapes.
Key Themes
Institutional Crypto Maturation
Traditional finance is increasingly embedding itself within crypto infrastructure. FalconX partnered with Sygnum to launch tokenized credit services for institutional clients, while Ethereal Ventures disclosed its $150M fund size, highlighting growing institutional capital in early-stage crypto projects. Coinbase’s staff reduction signals a strategic pivot toward AI-native architecture, reflecting broader industry efficiency measures. The near-term implication is accelerating institutional-grade products that could attract traditional capital flows into crypto.
SBF’s Investment Legacy Revisited
Market scrutiny intensifies around SBF’s pre-FTX investments, with analysts estimating his portfolio could have generated $100B in wealth. His early bets on Anthropic and Cursor demonstrate significant foresight into AI’s trajectory. This retrospective analysis creates nuanced narratives around crypto venture capital, separating investment acumen from criminal behavior. The implication is heightened interest in evaluating crypto VC strategies through multiple lenses beyond recent scandals.
Geopolitical Crosscurrents
Iran’s aggressive asset seizures targeting individuals linked to the U.S. and Israel, coupled with fuel smuggling interdictions, demonstrate how geopolitical tensions can impact financial flows. These actions could create alternative financial networks that may incorporate crypto assets for circumvention. The near-term risk is heightened regulatory scrutiny on cross-border crypto transactions in sensitive regions.
Market Mechanisms and Whale Activity
Sophisticated trading strategies remain prevalent, with a whale depositing 1.5M USDC on Hyperliquid to leverage long positions on Micron. Meanwhile, Wasabi protocol attackers laundered $5.9M through Tornado Cash, while an entity capitalized on ZEREBRO’s delisting for $1.6M profit. These activities highlight the cat-and-mouse dynamic between innovation and exploitation within crypto markets.
RichSilo Verdict
Smart money should monitor institutional product launches from traditional finance players entering crypto, as these represent the most significant on-ramps for new capital. The SBF retrospective may spark renewed interest in early-stage crypto AI investments despite his criminal past. Additionally, track how geopolitical tensions reshape regional adoption patterns, particularly in areas with capital controls. The primary risk remains regulatory overreach targeting privacy protocols and mixers, which could trigger unexpected volatility in privacy-focused tokens.
