Newly released documents from the Jeffrey Epstein case suggest that cryptocurrency discussions were part of some of his email exchanges during the 2010s.
Reports indicate the communications mentioned conversations involving future U.S. SEC chair Gary Gensler, as well as references to investments in XRP and XLM and discussions around funding linked to stablecoins and central bank digital currencies (CBDCs).
The new email declaration comes after a series of previous revelations of Epstein’s connections with Blockstream, Coinbase and other industry giants.
The emails appear to reflect how early conversations around digital assets were already reaching influential financial and policy circles.
The papers show connections and conversations, but they don’t prove that anyone did anything wrong. Instead, they show that crypto was becoming more common in mainstream financial and regulatory conversations at the time.
Gensler’s link to Epstein
The new documents include emails from 2018 that show Jeffrey Epstein talking to people in the cryptocurrency policy and academic circles.
Among the names mentioned is Gary Gensler, who later became Chair of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Reports say the emails suggest Epstein discussed arranging a meeting with Gensler to talk about crypto-related topics.
In one exchange, Epstein reportedly told former U.S. Treasury Secretary Lawrence Summers that Gensler had arrived early for a crypto discussion, with Summers replying that he knew Gensler and considered him highly capable.
As yet, there is no direct connection between Epstein and decisions or projects in the crypto world that has been revealed through the documents.
Epstein had heavily invested in early crypto projects, including $3 million in Coinbase in 2014, showing an early financial interest in the emerging market.
Epstein emails spark XRP, Stellar investment speculation
Some of the emails that were made public reportedly talked about cryptocurrencies like XRP and Stellar, which led to speculation that Jeffrey Epstein may have invested in or been interested in those projects.
Separate claims cited in reports also suggest Epstein may have helped fund early research or pilot initiatives related to a U.S. central bank digital currency (CBDC) through programs connected to MIT and certain Federal Reserve Banks.
During that time, Gary Gensler was teaching at MIT and was active in academic and policy discussions around digital assets, prior to joining government service and later helping shape U.S. cryptocurrency regulation.