Sam Bankman-Fried plans to launch his own token after release — exclusive details from prison
Sam Bankman-Fried (SBF), the former CEO of the collapsed FTX exchange, is already making ambitious plans for life after his release. According to information obtained from his cellmates and close acquaintances, SBF is considering launching his own cryptocurrency token. This project, he claims, could require startup capital of between $50 and $100 million.
One former cellmate, David Bunevacz, said that when directly asked about his future plans, SBF replied that to "make serious money," he needed to create something that "everyone would flock to." During the conversation, he mentioned a potential cryptocurrency project without going into details, but with clear confidence in its success. Bunevacz, however, noted skeptically: "Maybe he was joking, and probably no one will flock to it. But who knows." This comment underscores the uncertainty surrounding SBF's plans.
While his thoughts are occupied with the future project, SBF's present in prison is no less eventful. He takes daily medication for clinical depression and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Additionally, he is actively writing memoirs titled "Manfred," which is likely an attempt to reframe his story and influence public opinion.
Legal Battles and Political Maneuvers
Despite a 25-year sentence, SBF has spent only two years in custody. He and his family are actively working toward early release. Recently, an appeals court rejected a request for a retrial, but this has not stopped his team. In June 2025, SBF officially appealed to Donald Trump for a presidential pardon, trying to cultivate an image as a supporter of the former president.
His parents have hired Republican consultants Brian Lanza and Corey Langhofer to lobby for his release. SBF even organized an unauthorized video interview from prison with Tucker Carlson, for which he was briefly placed in solitary confinement. After that, he resumed activity on X through his father, posting pro-Trump messages and calling himself a victim of the Biden administration's policies. SBF's mother, Barbara Fried, is also actively seeking his release, although a judge has already ordered her to stop excessive calls to his office.
What's Next?
It is worth noting that SBF continues to claim that FTX was solvent at the time of its collapse, estimating assets at $25 billion against liabilities of $13 billion. However, these claims are not supported by investigative materials. Launching a new token in such a situation looks more like an attempt to save face than a real business plan. The market is unlikely to show trust in a project led by a man whose previous empire collapsed due to massive fraud.
Expert opinion: SBF's idea of launching a token after his release is not so much a business strategy as a psychological attempt to regain lost status and influence. However, in the current realities of the crypto market, where regulators and investors have become much more cautious, such a project is doomed to fail. Trust in SBF has been destroyed, and any of his actions will be viewed through the lens of the FTX collapse.