New Revelations from Epstein Files: Brock Pierce's Deep Ties to Jeffrey Epstein Cast Shadow on Crypto Industry

Recently released documents from the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) have uncovered deep and longstanding connections between Tether co-founder Brock Pierce and the notorious financier Jeffrey Epstein, who was convicted of sexual crimes. These revelations, spanning years of correspondence, discussions of meetings, and "networking opportunities," raise serious questions about Epstein's influence on the crypto industry, including Tether, Coinbase, and Blockstream.

According to emails published in a new tranche of DOJ documents from January 30, 2026, Pierce and Epstein communicated from 2011 to 2019 – after Epstein served his sentence for sexual crimes involving minors in 2008. They discussed not only business opportunities in cryptocurrency but also personal matters, including Pierce's romantic relationship with a woman named "Alice" (a pseudonym used in the documents), whom Epstein referred to as his "assistant." In one 2017 email, Epstein wrote to Alice: "Plans?? Brock? Travel?", and she replied that she adores Pierce but cannot keep up with his lifestyle. Pierce, in turn, invited Epstein to a yacht in Antigua, "full of the best Ukrainian women," in 2018.

These connections extend beyond personal relationships. Epstein invested in crypto startups through Pierce: in 2014, he invested $3 million in Coinbase through the Blockchain Capital fund, where Pierce worked. Later, in 2018, Epstein sold half of his stake in Coinbase for nearly $15 million. The documents also show Epstein's investments in Blockstream, a company developing software for Bitcoin. This has led to calls for the resignation of Blockstream CEO Adam Back from early Bitcoin developer Luke Dashjr, who cites "repeated deals" between Epstein and figures associated with the company.

Pierce, known as the co-founder of Tether (USDT), a stablecoin with a capitalization exceeding $100 billion - denied deep ties to Epstein in 2019, claiming their conversations were limited to cryptocurrency at public events. However, the documents refute this, showing personal invitations to Epstein's islands and discussions of Bitcoin, Mt. Gox, and regulations with figures such as Steve Bannon and the Winklevoss brothers.

On X, the news has sparked a wave of discussions. Users are linking the revelations to the crypto market decline: Bitcoin fell by 7-9%, with $74 million in positions liquidated. One post notes:

"Brock Pierce, founder of Tether, was one the most prominent names in the Epstein files, was at the rape-Island... Fred Ehrsam, founder of Coinbase, facilitated a $3M investment."

Another user writes:

"Tether co-founder Brock Pierce had years of correspondence with Jeffrey Epstein... when the Tether connections finally unravel this selloff will look cute."

Some mention Pierce's Hollywood pedophilia allegations, heightening concerns.

The implications for the crypto industry are significant. Epstein had access to Silicon Valley through Peter Thiel, Elon Musk, and others, investing in Palantir and Coinbase. This highlights the sector's vulnerability to influence from dubious figures, especially after scandals like FTX. Tether, which recently invested $150 million in tokenized gold, may face heightened regulatory scrutiny.

Experts warn:

"Crypto isn’t automatically liberation. Sometimes it’s just the next control rail with the same parasites."

While Pierce has not commented on the new revelations, the crypto community awaits reactions from Tether and Coinbase. This story serves as a reminder that behind the shine of blockchain, dark connections may lurk.