Arthur Hayes has unloaded his entire Worldcoin (WLD) position, a sale completed on June 6 that came less than three days after his investment firm Maelstrom publicly pitched the token as a liquid way to ride the artificial intelligence IPO wave. The rapid exit triggered a more than 25% slide in WLD’s price within hours after Hayes disclosed the move on X.
The Quick Turnaround
On June 3, Maelstrom — the family office Hayes founded — posted a thread on X touting Worldcoin as “the most liquid route into the AI IPO wave.” The firm described WLD as an “on-chain AI proxy,” urging followers to consider the token. But by June 6, Hayes himself was out. His disclosure came on the same social platform, confirming the full dissolution of his position. The timing — barely 72 hours after the promotional push — raised eyebrows among market watchers.
Market Reaction
The sell-off was swift. Within hours of Hayes’s post, WLD dropped more than a quarter of its value. Traders who had bought into the thesis pushed by Maelstrom were left holding a rapidly depreciating asset. The incident highlights how a single high-profile figure’s actions can move a token’s price — especially when that person’s firm had just been selling the narrative.
End of a Position
Hayes’s sale marks the end of his Worldcoin holdings. The facts don’t specify how much he originally held or at what price he bought, but the “completed dissolution” wording suggests he had been winding down for a while. What remains unclear is whether Maelstrom still holds any position — the firm’s pitch last week didn’t come with a disclaimer about Hayes’s own plans. For now, Worldcoin faces a cratered price and a credibility gap that its founding team will have to address.
