Arthur Hayes, through his investment office Maelstrom, plans to raise $250 million to buy entire crypto businesses. Bloomberg reports that the pool would purchase firms one after another, integrate their teams and assets, and potentially reshape how private capital flows and competes in crypto. If commitments arrive, the strategy favors ownership and consolidation over coin trading or idle cash.
Maelstrom is drafting a $250 million vehicle whose sole purpose is to acquire crypto-related companies. The approach is to grow by owning businesses rather than trading tokens or sitting on cash, with the vehicle taking large private stakes so the new owner runs or strongly guides each acquired firm.
Potential backers include pension funds, endowments, and family offices, which would bring a fresh source of capital to late-stage crypto projects and infrastructure builders. More buyers for private shares can push prices higher, meaning companies looking to sell or recapitalize may secure richer valuations. No outsider has seen signed pledges or a shopping list of targets, according to the report.
Plan and structure of the vehicle
A single owner controlling multiple issuers could coordinate market activities for derivatives desks and corporate treasuries, synchronizing equity sales, agreeing on net-asset-value practices, and arranging joint hedges. Large private pools of money often trigger merger waves that can drain liquidity and shift risk appetite.
The report names no chosen companies and no public deadline. Open questions include whether enough investors will sign subscription papers and when the first purchase might close. Market custom suggests the headline appears first to court backers, followed by quiet talks with sellers.
The initiative signals a push toward consolidation and coordinated capital deployment in crypto. Its success will hinge on investor commitments and the timing of initial acquisitions.
