In a show of support for Ross Ulbricht, the founder of the Silk Road marketplace, cryptocurrency exchange Kraken has donated $111,111 in Bitcoin (BTC) following Ulbricht’s recent pardon by former President Donald Trump. The donation was made to an address listed on freeross.org, a website dedicated to advocating for Ulbricht’s cause.
Ulbricht, who was arrested in 2013 and sentenced to two life sentences plus 40 years for nonviolent offenses, saw his sentence commuted by Trump during his second day in office, a move that many libertarians and cryptocurrency advocates had long campaigned for. The donation from Kraken is part of a broader outpouring of support for Ulbricht, with 93 individual donations totaling 2.5 BTC (approximately $261,000) made via the same website.
Ulbricht’s case has sparked significant debate within the crypto community, with some viewing him as an early pioneer of Bitcoin and crypto, while others continue to criticize his involvement with Silk Road. Despite ongoing discussions surrounding his past actions, new information about Ulbricht’s Bitcoin holdings has emerged. According to recent reports, his wallets may hold as much as $47 million in BTC as of January 22, 2025.
Though some, including Coinbase’s Conor Grogan, have raised questions about whether Ulbricht still has access to these wallets, the crypto community remains keenly interested in any further developments.
This high-profile donation comes amid growing interest in the potential for pro-crypto policies under the leadership of President Trump, with some hoping that his administration will consider further executive actions benefiting the cryptocurrency industry, including initiatives like a national Bitcoin reserve.
In addition to the political conversations surrounding Ulbricht’s pardon, a documentary about his life and the Silk Road saga is currently in production, further fueling interest in his story.
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