From BitMEX to Biotech: Arthur Hayes’ Journey Through Wealth, Indictment, and Longevity Investments
Arthur Hayes: From Crypto Tycoon to Longevity Investor
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Arthur Hayes, the co-founder of BitMEX, has experienced a rollercoaster ride through the world of cryptocurrency, achieving immense wealth, facing legal challenges, and ultimately receiving a presidential pardon—all before turning 40. Now, Hayes is embarking on a new venture, investing not just in digital tokens but in his own health.
After building BitMEX into one of the largest crypto trading platforms globally, Hayes found himself in the crosshairs of regulatory scrutiny. In 2020, he, along with fellow co-founders Benjamin Delo and Samuel Reed, was indicted for violating the Bank Secrecy Act. The trio pleaded guilty in 2022, agreeing to forfeit $10 million and serve probation. However, in March 2023, they received a pardon from President Donald Trump, a move that has left Hayes’s professional status largely unchanged.
Despite the legal battles, Hayes has continued to thrive. Living in Singapore and spending winters skiing in Japan, he remains a prominent voice in the crypto community. His essays on topics ranging from meme culture to monetary theory are widely circulated, with one recent post inspiring the creation of Ethena’s synthetic dollar, now valued at $11.6 billion.
Now, Hayes is channeling his energies into a new passion: longevity. He has taken a significant stake in a stem cell business with clinics in Mexico and Bangkok, where he has been a regular patient for over a year. “I want to live as long as possible, as healthy as possible,” he stated in a recent video interview. Although he declined to name the company due to an ongoing rebranding, he joined its board this summer, signaling a serious commitment to this emerging field.
Hayes is not alone in his quest for longevity. Other crypto pioneers are also exploring this frontier. Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has invested millions in life-extension research, while Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong co-founded NewLimit, a genetic engineering startup that recently raised $130 million.
In the crypto markets, ambitions are expanding as well. Digital asset treasury companies (DATs)—publicly traded firms accumulating crypto on their balance sheets—are gaining traction, holding approximately $110 billion worth of Bitcoin. However, Hayes’s family office, Maelstrom, has issued warnings about the potential risks associated with this trend.
As Hayes navigates this new chapter, he remains optimistic about the future of crypto and its intersection with other industries. “The DATs that differentiate themselves,” he noted, “are going to be the ones that can attract passive index money managers in the United States.”
In a world where the lines between politics and cryptocurrency are increasingly blurred, Hayes finds validation in the actions of figures like Trump, who has embraced the crypto space through various ventures, including launching his own memecoin. “I love that Trump launched his own memecoin,” Hayes remarked. “I really don’t care what the price did.”
As Hayes continues to redefine his legacy, he stands at the forefront of a movement that seeks to disrupt not only financial systems but also the very notion of human longevity. With a keen eye on the future, he is poised to make waves in both the crypto and health industries.
