Epstein has been interested in Bitcoin since 2011 and has discussed the nature of Bitcoin with Peter Thiel.

On February 3rd, according to the latest public records, Epstein had already started with Bitcoin as early as 2011. Epstein once stated in an email on June 12, 2011, “Bitcoin is a brilliant idea, but it also has some serious flaws.” In 2013, Epstein also discussed Bitcoin with Boris Nikolic, former chief technology advisor to Bill Gates, a16z board partner, and Steven Sinofsky, former president of Microsoft’s Windows division. Even in 2014, Epstein engaged in in-depth discussions with PayPal co-founder Peter Thiel about the nature of Bitcoin. In the email, Epstein said, “There is no consensus on what Bitcoin actually is—whether it is a store of value, a currency, or property… like a man dressing as a woman, or property disguised as currency.” Additionally, in 2016, Epstein indicated in emails with Raafat AlSabbagh, a Saudi royal court advisor, and Aziza Al Ahmadi, an advisor to the Abu Dhabi Department of Culture and Tourism, “I have communicated with some Bitcoin creators, and they are very excited.” Notably, documents released last December showed that Epstein’s $850,000 donation to MIT indirectly funded a digital currency initiative, which hired Bitcoin Core developers such as Gavin Andresen and Wladimir van der Laan when the Bitcoin Foundation collapsed in 2015.