what's Maelstrom Equity Fund I?

Maelstrom Equity Fund I is the debut private equity fund launched by Maelstrom, the family office of BitMEX co-founder Arthur Hayes. The fund targets acquisitions of profitable, mid-sized crypto companies, particularly those providing off-chain infrastructure such as trading platforms, data analytics, and related services that support the broader cryptocurrency ecosystem. It aims to facilitate clean exits for founders at reasonable valuations while bridging crypto with traditional finance through cash-generating equity investments, avoiding direct token holdings. Structured as a U.S.-registered limited partnership, the fund plans to deploy $40-75 million per deal to acquire 4-6 companies, with a focus on control buyouts to scale operations and enhance integration with institutional capital allocators like pension funds and family offices. This approach addresses liquidity challenges in the crypto sector by emphasizing sustainable, high-cash-flow businesses over speculative assets.

Maelstrom Equity Fund I strategically invested in the River project on Jan 14, 2026.