ElizaOS token sinks 19% to record low after founder declares it ‘dead’

cointelegraphPublished on 2026-08-06Last updated on 2026-08-06

Abstract

The ElizaOS token plummeted 19% to a record low of $0.000284 after its founder, Shaw Walters, declared the token "dead" and announced the winding down of the Eliza Foundation. Walters stated he no longer owns or supports the token, attributing the project's end to a costly lawsuit settlement that drained its treasury, leaving no funds for buybacks or future support. He emphasized that development of the open-source Eliza software will continue, but he will never allow another token to be associated with it. This marks a stark fall for the token, which once reached a $2.5 billion market cap in January 2025 under its previous name, AI16Z.

ElizaOS fell 19% over 24 hours to an all-time low after Eliza Labs founder Shaw Walters said the token was “dead” and that the Eliza Foundation was winding down.

CoinGecko data showed the token trading at $0.000285 at the time of writing after touching a record low of $0.000284 on Thursday with a market capitalization of $2.1 million.

The drop came after an announcement from Walters that the foundation was winding down. “The token is dead. Completely,” Walters said, adding that he no longer owned or supported the token. He said the development of the open-source Eliza software would continue without the token or the foundation.

The decline represents a stark reversal for one of the AI-agent sector’s former breakout tokens. Before the project rebranded as ElizaOS, the token, then known as AI16Z, reached a peak market capitalization of $2.5 billion in January 2025, according to CoinGecko.

ElizaOS’ 24-hour price chart. Source: CoinGecko

Founder blames lawsuit and token culture

Walters said Eliza Labs privately settled with a group of tokenholders represented by Burwick Law by agreeing to give them its remaining treasury and funds.

He called the suit “ridiculous” but said the project lacked the capital to continue fighting it.

The lawsuit, filed in April, named Eliza Labs, Walters, Sebastian Quinn-Watson and the AI16Z DAO as defendants. It alleged false advertising, deceptive practices, negligent misrepresentation and unjust enrichment.

Court records show the named plaintiff’s claims were dismissed with prejudice by stipulation on July 8, while the proposed class’s claims were dismissed without prejudice.

Cointelegraph contacted Walters and Burwick Law founder Max Burwick for comment but had not received a response by the time of publication.

Related: Not every AI agent needs its own cryptocurrency: CZ

Walters said there were no more funds for token buybacks and no foundation or future supply intervention to support the token.

He also said he would not allow another token to be associated with Eliza while continuing to build its underlying operating system.

“I am starting over, since I own the IP, and I am never letting a token come close to Eliza again [...] I’m never going to support an Eliza token,” he wrote.

ElizaOS is an open-source framework for building and managing AI agents. The project launched in October 2024 as ai16z with an initial goal of raising $75,000 to build an autonomous investor.

In January 2025, it rebranded to ElizaOS after Andreessen Horowitz raised concerns about confusion with its a16z brand. The token was also later migrated.

Magazine: Do the Coldcard attacks mean all hardware wallets are now insecure?

Trending Cryptos

Related Questions

QWhat is the main reason for the 19% drop in ElizaOS token price?

AThe main reason for the 19% drop in the ElizaOS token price is the founder Shaw Walters declaring the token 'dead' and announcing that the Eliza Foundation was winding down, with no further support for the token.

QWhat was the peak market capitalization of the project, and under what name?

AAccording to CoinGecko, the project, then known as AI16Z, reached a peak market capitalization of $2.5 billion in January 2025.

QWhat did the lawsuit against Eliza Labs and its founders allege?

AThe lawsuit alleged false advertising, deceptive practices, negligent misrepresentation, and unjust enrichment against Eliza Labs, Shaw Walters, Sebastian Quinn-Watson, and the AI16Z DAO.

QWhat is the future of the Eliza software according to its founder?

AAccording to founder Shaw Walters, the development of the open-source Eliza software will continue without the token or the foundation, and he will not allow another token to be associated with Eliza in the future.

QWhy did the project rebrand from ai16z to ElizaOS in January 2025?

AThe project rebranded from ai16z to ElizaOS in January 2025 after Andreessen Horowitz raised concerns about confusion with its a16z brand.

Related Reads

Investors Begin 'Switching Tables'

Investors Begin to “Change Tables” A notable shift is occurring in China's venture capital landscape. While the hard tech sector, especially AI, experiences a funding frenzy with record-breaking investment rounds, many investors are opting to leave traditional investment firms to join portfolio companies. This movement, termed "changing tables," marks a departure from past downturns where such moves were often a last resort. Currently, the trend is driven by proactive choice. Seasoned investors, including partners and managing directors, are being lured by attractive salaries, equity incentives, and core roles like VP, General Manager, or even co-founder at fast-growing startups in hot sectors like AI, embodied intelligence, and aerospace. This "going ashore" to companies is seen as a strategic career move. The shift is a two-way street. Booming fundraising and feverish investment activity have created intense competition among VCs for a narrow set of "star projects." Simultaneously, these high-flying tech companies, engaged in rapid, multi-round financing, urgently need talent with deep capital market expertise and institutional connections to manage their complex funding needs. Companies like Zhiyuan Robot, MoonDark AI, and MiniMax are actively recruiting from investment firms. For investors, the move also reflects concerns about the sustainability of the current market. Risks like valuation inversion between primary and secondary markets, high IPO破发 rates, increased regulatory scrutiny, and the uncertainty of eventual exits are prompting a reevaluation of the traditional VC path. While this transition offers new opportunities, it is not without challenges. Success requires adapting from evaluating companies to operating within one, focusing on execution over analysis. Nevertheless, this trend underscores the expanding career boundaries and fluidity within China's innovation ecosystem.

marsbit51m ago

Investors Begin 'Switching Tables'

marsbit51m ago

Ethereum Community in Uproar! Whose Cake is EIP-8363 Cutting Into?

**Ethereum Community Debates Controversial Staking Proposal EIP-8363** A new Ethereum proposal, EIP-8363, dubbed "Tapered Issuance Burn," has ignited heated debate within the community. The core idea is to reduce and eventually eliminate new issuance rewards for validators as the total amount of staked ETH approaches 50% of the total supply (around 60.25 million ETH). The authors, including EthCC founder Jérôme de Tychey and Ethereum Foundation researcher Justin Drake, argue the current system perpetually incentivizes more staking, potentially leading to centralization as stake flows to large custodians and liquid staking tokens (LSTs). They also aim to reduce dilution pressure on non-staking ETH holders. Under the proposal, validator rewards from consensus-layer issuance would be partially burned based on a formula tied to the total staked amount. Net rewards would gradually approach zero as staking nears the 50% threshold. Notably, execution-layer rewards (tips, MEV) are unaffected. A proposed 18-month transition period would soften the initial impact. The community reaction has been predominantly critical. Key concerns include: * **Centralization Risk:** Critics like Obol's Oisín Kyne argue very low rewards could drive out solo stakers and smaller operators, leaving only large, cost-insensitive institutions, thus increasing validator centralization. * **Ecosystem Impact:** Aave's Stani Kulechov warns it could hurt ETH's predictable yield appeal for institutions and compress yields for LST-based DeFi strategies (e.g., recursive lending). * **Process & Timing:** Some, like ether.fi's Mike Silagadze, criticize the proposal's late submission ahead of a key upgrade deadline, limiting discussion time. Supporters believe the change is necessary to maintain ETH as a neutral reserve asset and avoid excessive security costs and holder dilution. If implemented, solo stakers would face higher relative operational costs and longer recovery times from penalties. LST yields would converge with native ETH, challenging their value proposition. The entire DeFi interest rate ecosystem, built around staking yield, could be pressured. While all ETH holders would benefit from reduced dilution, the net effect on ETH's price and adoption remains uncertain due to potential demand-side impacts from lower yields. The proposal is currently an early-stage draft and has not been officially slated for inclusion in any upcoming network upgrade.

marsbit1h ago

Ethereum Community in Uproar! Whose Cake is EIP-8363 Cutting Into?

marsbit1h ago

Trading

Spot

Hot Articles

How to Buy ELIZAOS

Welcome to HTX.com! We've made purchasing elizaOS (ELIZAOS) simple and convenient. Follow our step-by-step guide to embark on your crypto journey.Step 1: Create Your HTX AccountUse your email or phone number to sign up for a free account on HTX. Experience a hassle-free registration journey and unlock all features.Get My AccountStep 2: Go to Buy Crypto and Choose Your Payment MethodCredit/Debit Card: Use your Visa or Mastercard to buy elizaOS (ELIZAOS) instantly.Balance: Use funds from your HTX account balance to trade seamlessly.Third Parties: We've added popular payment methods such as Google Pay and Apple Pay to enhance convenience.P2P: Trade directly with other users on HTX.Over-the-Counter (OTC): We offer tailor-made services and competitive exchange rates for traders.Step 3: Store Your elizaOS (ELIZAOS)After purchasing your elizaOS (ELIZAOS), store it in your HTX account. Alternatively, you can send it elsewhere via blockchain transfer or use it to trade other cryptocurrencies.Step 4: Trade elizaOS (ELIZAOS)Easily trade elizaOS (ELIZAOS) on HTX's spot market. Simply access your account, select your trading pair, execute your trades, and monitor in real-time. We offer a user-friendly experience for both beginners and seasoned traders.

3.6k Total ViewsPublished 2025.11.11Updated 2026.06.02

How to Buy ELIZAOS

Discussions

Welcome to the HTX Community. Here, you can stay informed about the latest platform developments and gain access to professional market insights. Users' opinions on the price of ELIZAOS (ELIZAOS) are presented below.

活动图片