ETHZilla Stock Rockets 207% Following Peter Thiel’s Investment
This marks Thiel’s second major Ethereum treasury play in weeks, following his investment in BitMine.
Tech billionaire Peter Thiel is doubling down on Ethereum-focused companies—sending stock prices skyrocketing. According to a new SEC filing, Thiel and entities he manages acquired a 7.5% stake in 180 Life Sciences, a biotech firm that recently shifted its focus from inflammatory disease research to accumulating Ethereum. Along with the pivot, the company rebranded as ETHZilla.
News of Thiel’s investment sent ETHZilla stock surging, closing Tuesday at $10.24, a jump of nearly 207% from Monday’s $3.34.
This marks Thiel’s second major Ethereum treasury play in weeks. Earlier, Thiel and his venture capital firm Founders Fund purchased a 9.1% stake in BitMine, another public company now dedicated to stockpiling Ethereum. BitMine, previously a Bitcoin miner, has amassed over $5 billion in ETH and aims to raise more than $20 billion to grow its holdings further.
A long-time crypto backer, Thiel has invested in numerous blockchain ventures, from exchanges like Bullish and Bitpanda to infrastructure projects such as Ethereum Layer-2 Layer N and the prediction market Polymarket. His Ethereum connection dates back to 2014, when Founders Fund gave Vitalik Buterin a $100,000 grant to advance the network’s development.
Beyond tech, Thiel has deep political influence. A co-founder of PayPal and Palantir, he’s a key funder of far-right candidates and a major player in shaping the Trump administration’s tech agenda. Notably, Thiel introduced Vice President JD Vance to Trump in 2021. His allies now hold top roles in Washington—David Sacks as AI and crypto czar, and Michael Kratsios as head of the White House’s Office of Science and Technology.
The second Trump administration has pursued aggressive pro-crypto policies, including last week’s executive order allowing 401(k) retirement accounts to invest in actively managed crypto funds.
Thiel’s latest moves underscore his conviction in Ethereum’s future, as he continues to back companies racing to dominate the ETH treasury game.
