Key Takeaways:
- DOJ files reveal Jeffrey Epstein invested about $3 million in Coinbase in 2014.
- Epstein sold half his Coinbase stake in 2018 for roughly $15 million.
- The records also reveal Epstein’s early investments in other crypto firms like Blockstream.
Newly released Epstein Files from the US Department of Justice show that Jeffrey Epstein, the late financier and convicted sex offender, invested $3 million in Coinbase back in December 2014. This investment came through his company, IGO Company LLC, during the cryptocurrency exchange’s Series C funding round, when the firm was valued at $400 million.
Epstein later sold half of his stake in 2018 for about $15 million, according to the files. The revelation stems from emails and asset lists published on 30 January 2026, as part of a larger trove totaling 3.5 million pages related to Epstein’s affairs.
Details of Epstein’s investment
Emails indicate that Epstein’s investment was arranged with help from Brock Pierce, a prominent figure in the crypto world. Brock led Blockchain Capital, a venture firm focused on blockchain technology, and co-founded Tether, the company behind the Tether (USDT) stablecoin. Pierce described the opportunity as “the most platinum-plated deal in the space” in correspondence.
In December 2014, Pierce’s firm shared Coinbase’s wire transfer instructions with Epstein’s assistant, Darren Indyke, to complete the deal. One message from Blockchain Capital confirmed that no fund investment happened, but Epstein proceeded independently through his LLC.
A document listing Epstein’s assets at year’s end noted the exact $3,001,000 purchase in Coinbase equity. Fred Ehrsam, Coinbase’s co-founder, appeared aware of the arrangement, as an email shows him coordinating a potential New York meeting with Epstein on 3 December 2014, and hours later, Blockchain Capital co-founder Brad Stephens confirming to him that the investment could proceed.
This transaction occurred more than six years after Epstein’s 2008 conviction by a Florida court, branding him as a registered sex offender.
Coinbase’s beginnings and how Epstein contributed
Coinbase started in June 2012, founded by Brian Armstrong, a former Airbnb engineer, and Fred Ehrsam, who previously worked at Goldman Sachs. At launch, the company aimed to make buying and selling Bitcoin simple and accessible for everyday users.
By around December 2014, when Coinbase held its Series C investment round, which included Epstein’s contribution, it had expanded to serve as a full exchange platform where people could trade various digital assets securely. It had around 58,000 monthly transacting users, around 1.7 million consumer wallets, and a presence in 19 countries (including the US).
The Epstein funding helped fuel further growth amid rising interest in blockchain. Today, Coinbase operates in over 100 countries, manages $516 billion in assets, and serves more than 100 million users, making it the largest US-based crypto exchange.
Connections to the crypto industry
The documents also highlight Epstein’s other ties to early crypto projects. For instance, he invested $500,000 in Blockstream, a Bitcoin-focused company founded in 2014, alongside Joi Ito, former director of the MIT Media Lab. Blockstream develops tools to improve Bitcoin’s network security and scalability.
However, Blockstream CEO Adam Back clarified on social media that the company has no ongoing financial connection to Epstein or his estate, noting that Ito’s fund later divested its shares due to conflict of interest concerns.
In 2014, during Blockstream’s seed-round investor roadshow, the company was introduced to then MIT Media Lab director Joi Ito. Subsequently Blockstream met with Jeffrey Epstein, who was described at the time as a limited partner in Ito’s fund. That fund later invested a minority…
— Adam Back (@adam3us) February 1, 2026
All these details have emerged from the Justice Department’s release of Epstein-related files, which ended with the 30 January batch.
