Eightco Holdings Inc (NASDAQ:ORBS) shares surged 15.4% in premarket trading on Monday after the company said its PIPE investors, senior management and board members have agreed to extend their share lock-up arrangements, a move seen as underscoring confidence in Eightco’s long-term growth plans.
The decision follows Eightco’s recent announcement of a share repurchase program of up to $125 million. The company, which controls more than 10% of the circulating supply of Worldcoin (WLD), is positioning itself as a major player in digital identity and authentication technologies.
“When the Board, management team, and PIPE investors are all locked in, it tells us leadership is fully aligned behind the company’s vision and confident in the roadmap ahead,” said Dan Ives, Chairman of Eightco. “As we begin 2026, this kind of alignment sends an important signal to the market that insiders are focused on building durable value over time.”
Chief Executive Officer Kevin O’Donnell said the lock-up extension, alongside the buyback program, “sends a clear signal of confidence in Eightco’s vision, growth strategy and roadmap and emphasizes that our leadership team is all-in on execution and long-term shareholder value.”
Eightco is currently developing its null by ORBS platform, which targets AI-resistant enterprise authentication. Both Ives and O’Donnell are expected to attend CES in Las Vegas, where the company plans to showcase the technology.
The group has also formed strategic partnerships with companies including Mythical Games, Coinbase and Kraken, and said it intends to launch a non-deal roadshow for institutional investors later in January to deepen engagement with the investment community.