Once the rebel of crypto derivatives, Arthur Hayes is now betting big on biohacking — shifting his energy from financial disruption to the science of longevity.
Trump’s Pardon and Hayes’ Reinvention
Arthur Hayes, the co-founder of BitMEX, is no stranger to controversy. He made billions pioneering crypto derivatives trading, only to face indictment in 2020 for violating the Bank Secrecy Act. By 2022, Hayes and fellow BitMEX founders Benjamin Delo and Samuel Reed pleaded guilty, each paying $10 million in fines and serving probation.
In March 2025, President Donald Trump granted pardons to the trio, wiping the slate clean. While the legal drama grabbed headlines, Hayes’ next chapter may prove even more disruptive.
From Crypto Gains to Stem Cell Clinics
Instead of returning solely to crypto markets, Hayes is channeling his wealth into biotech — specifically, stem cell treatments and biohacking.
For over a year, Hayes has been a patient at clinics in Mexico and Bangkok, receiving stem cell infusions designed to extend healthspan. Recently, he took a major stake in one of the companies behind these treatments, joining its board during a rebrand.
“I want to live as long as possible, as healthy as possible,” Hayes said in a video interview. “This is the future — you’re seeing more and more countries relaxing their regulations around the use of stem cells.”
It’s a bold pivot: from disrupting financial markets to disrupting human biology.
Longevity: Crypto’s New Obsession
Hayes is part of a growing trend among crypto elites who view longevity as the final frontier:
- Vitalik Buterin (Ethereum co-founder) → Donated millions to life-extension research.
- Brian Armstrong (Coinbase CEO) → Co-founded NewLimit, a genetic engineering startup that raised $130M in Series B funding.
- Balaji Srinivasan (ex-Coinbase CTO) → Invested in biotech and alternative societies.
For these founders, crypto wealth provides freedom to experiment where traditional institutions move slowly — whether in genetics, biotech, or radical health optimization.
The Treasury Boom and Trump’s Digital Footprint
Hayes hasn’t left crypto behind. Through his family office, Maelstrom, he has invested in Digital Asset Treasury (DAT) firms — public companies that accumulate Bitcoin and other tokens on their balance sheets.
DATs have surged in popularity, holding more than $110 billion worth of Bitcoin according to CoinGecko. But Hayes warns the rush may overshoot: if these treasuries can’t achieve scale and attract institutional index funds, many could face sharp discounts.
Even Trump has embraced the model:
- Trump Media raised over $2B this year to buy Bitcoin.
- Alt5 Sigma Corp., linked to Trump allies, announced plans to raise $1.5B for crypto.
- Trump’s sons have entered crypto mining.
- Trump and Melania even launched their own memecoins, though prices have since collapsed by ~80%.
For Hayes, this isn’t a red flag — it’s validation. “If you have the president of the empire creating his own memecoin and it’s freely tradable, that gives license to other politicians to use memecoins as campaign finance,” he noted.
AI Satoshi’s Analysis
This move illustrates how crypto pioneers, once focused on disrupting finance, are now redirecting capital toward biotech and life-extension, industries they view as over-regulated yet ripe for transformation. The pattern mirrors Bitcoin’s ethos — challenging entrenched systems with alternative models built on conviction and capital. Hayes’s pivot highlights how financial independence from crypto enables, experimentation beyond monetary systems, potentially accelerating innovation where legacy institutions hesitate.
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⚠️ Disclaimer: This content is generated with the help of AI and intended for educational and experimental purposes only. Not financial advice.