Billionaire investor Peter Thiel and the renowned investment firm Founders Fund have ended their partnership with ETHZilla, a move that has sent ripples through the cryptocurrency community. SEC filings reveal that by the close of 2025, the prominent backers had completely divested their 7.5% stake in the project, effectively cutting ties. Thiel, who once drove ETHZilla’s stock to new heights, has now closed a significant chapter in both his own investment portfolio and the company’s brief but turbulent ascent.
Zirveden Keskin Dönüşe Uzanan Süreç
ETHZilla’s journey began in the biotechnology sector under the name 180 Life Sciences. In a bold about-face, the company rebranded as ETHZilla and pivoted towards digital assets, buoyed by Thiel’s endorsement. Their ambitious plan: amass a substantial ether (ETH) treasury. They succeeded in raising an impressive $425 million, a testament to investor confidence and the power of Thiel’s reputation. The influx of capital quickly drove ETHZilla’s stock above $174, generating considerable buzz among both seasoned investors and market spectators.
Yet, global weakness in crypto markets and volatile ether prices soon undercut ETHZilla’s ambitions. Struggling to meet its debt obligations, the company was forced to liquidate its ether holdings, triggering a sharp decline in share value. This financial strain prompted the Founders Fund—once among ETHZilla’s strongest allies—to reassess its involvement and ultimately reconsider its commitment.
Thiel’s withdrawal represents more than a routine stock sale; it is seen as a pointed reaction to ETHZilla’s changing trajectory. The company’s original focus on ether-based treasury management gave way to a more traditional approach amid mounting market pressures. With this shift, ETHZilla no longer fit within the portfolios of technology’s most influential names, underscoring a decisive end to an era.
Jet Motorlarından Tokenizasyona Yeni Rota
In the wake of Founders Fund’s exit, ETHZilla has undergone a dramatic realignment to ensure survival. Management cast aside the previous cryptocurrency-based strategy, opting instead to focus on tokenizing jet engine leasing contracts. By leveraging aviation industry assets on digital platforms, ETHZilla seeks a new lifeline, signaling a radical departure from its origins.
This pivot marks a transition from risky, crypto-driven ventures to financial products built on tangible assets. The timing of Thiel’s exit, coinciding with ETHZilla’s embrace of this unproven path, has attracted particular attention. SEC records leave no doubt: the billionaire will play no part in the firm’s latest incarnation as of the last quarter of 2025.
Market commentators argue that the full departure of backers like Thiel can add pressure on retail shareholders. At the same time, ETHZilla’s shift to a jet engine lease tokenization model is being watched closely as evidence that the company has truly left its ether-focused identity behind. The financial sector now monitors how the enterprise will fare without the support of its former heavyweight allies.
