Wow, Ross Ulbricht has already started monetizing his story after помилования. He put prison IDs, clothing, and paintings up for auction—and in the end, he raised over $1.3 million in Bitcoin. The most expensive item was his ID 2024-2025 for 5.5 BTC. I understand the logic—like starting a new life and leaving the past behind—but it sounds a bit strange.

And then, literally just a couple of days later, he receives a donation of 300 BTC, which is about $31.4 million at the current exchange rate. One of the largest donations this year. At Bitcoin 2025, he spoke, thanked the crypto community for their support during his imprisonment, and talked about freedom and decentralization. People clearly support him.

I don’t know how to feel about this. On one hand, he’s помилован, so he can move on. On the other hand, his Silk Road story still raises questions. But it seems that, for the crypto community, he’s already become a symbol of the fight for freedom. It will be interesting to see what happens next with his involvement in the crypto space.