Editing Hayden Davis

**Hayden Davis** is a US entrepreneur and CEO of [[Kelsier Ventures]] who described himself as a "facilitator" of [[Libra]], the [[Solana]] token promoted by Argentine President Javier Milei on 2025-02-14 that collapsed within hours.[^1][^2] He is a defendant in a US class action over the token and has denied wrongdoing.[^3]

## Background
Cointelegraph reported that Kelsier Ventures was co-founded by Davis and his siblings Gideon and Thomas Davis; Decrypt calls the firm Kelsier Labs.[^3][^4] According to media reports cited by the Buenos Aires Herald, he visited Argentina at least three times in 2024 and told conference attendees he could broker access to Milei; a photo of him with Milei was posted on X.[^2]

## Notable trades
### Libra
- 2025-02-14: Milei posted LIBRA's contract address on X; the price passed $5, then fell to near zero within hours after roughly $80–100 million was withdrawn, according to the Buenos Aires Herald.[^2] Cointelegraph put the peak at a $4.6 billion market cap; Decrypt, citing [[DEX Screener]], put it at $1.17 billion before a 97% fall in 24 hours.[^3][^4]
- 2025-02-17: in an interview with YouTuber Coffeezilla, Davis said the team bought at launch to "get all the snipers out, or at least control them", that he controlled team wallets holding over $100 million as custodian, and that this was a plan that went wrong rather than a [[Rug pull|rug pull]].[^1] He said almost every memecoin launch involves insider trading and named Mauricio Novelli, Manuel Godoy and [[KIP Protocol]] as central members of the project.[^1]

### Melania Meme
Davis told Coffeezilla the [[Melania Meme]] team also sniped that token at launch.[^1] On 2025-02-17 [[Bubblemaps]] said it was "highly confident" one entity ran both launches: a wallet that made over $2.4 million [[Sniping|sniping]] MELANIA sent funds to an Avalanche address that later funded LIBRA's main creator wallet.[^5]

### YZY
On 2025-08-25 Decrypt reported Bubblemaps' claim that 44 wallets it believes Davis controls link the MELANIA team wallet, the LIBRA sniper wallet and 14 wallets that bought Kanye West's [[YZY]] token within a minute of its announcement, investing about $2.8 million for about $12 million profit.[^6] Davis has defended sniping of tokens he helped launch but denied doing it himself; Kelsier did not respond to Decrypt.[^6]

## Controversies
### US litigation
- 2025-03: LIBRA buyers led by Omar Hurlock, represented by [[Burwick Law]], sued Kelsier, KIP Protocol and [[Meteora]], alleging the Davis siblings created LIBRA and siphoned over $100 million from one-sided [[Liquidity pool|liquidity pools]].[^3]
- 2025-05: the court ordered Circle to freeze about $57.65 million in USDC allegedly tied to the project.[^3]
- 2025-07: Davis moved to dismiss for lack of jurisdiction, saying he does not live or do business in New York.[^3]
- 2025-08: Judge Jennifer Rochon lifted the freeze on $57.6 million in USDC held by Davis and Meteora co-founder [[Ben Chow]], finding they were not "evasive actors" and saying she was "skeptical" the plaintiffs would succeed; Davis's counsel called the case meritless.[^4] Burwick filed a further suit alleging fraud, RICO violations, conspiracy and unjust enrichment.[^2]

### Argentina
Prosecutor Eduardo Taiano opened a federal investigation about a week after the launch.[^2] Argentina's Anti-Corruption Office cleared Milei in June 2025; a congressional committee in November 2025 found Milei gave "essential collaboration" to the project.[^7] On 2026-03-15 The Block, citing El Destape, reported a note from Novelli's phone describing a $5 million payment structure "discussed with H", which El Destape believes refers to Davis; no response from Davis was reported.[^7]

## See also
- [[ZachXBT]]
- [[JELLYJELLY]]
- [[Broccoli]]
- [[Sahil Arora]]
- [[Hawk Tuah]]
- [[Bundling]]

## References
1. [Libra memecoin 'facilitator' Hayden Davis admits team sniped token at launch](https://www.theblock.co/post/341251/libra-memecoin-facilitator-hayden-davis-admits-team-sniped-token-at-launch), The Block, 2025-02-17
2. [$LIBRA crypto scandal: What's the status of the legal inquiry in Argentina and the US?](https://buenosairesherald.com/politics/judiciary/libra-crypto-scandal-whats-the-status-of-the-legal-inquiry-in-argentina-and-the-us), Buenos Aires Herald, 2025-08-08
3. [LIBRA token creator fights class suit, citing lack of jurisdiction](https://cointelegraph.com/news/libra-token-creator-seek-dismiss-class-suit), Cointelegraph, 2025-07-11
4. [Libra Promoters Regain Access to $57.6 Million in Crypto After Judge Unfreezes Assets](https://decrypt.co/336060/libra-promoters-regain-access-57-6-million-crypto-judge-unfreezes-assets), Decrypt, 2025-08-20
5. [Bubblemaps links single entity to Libra and Melania memecoins](https://www.theblock.co/post/341238/bubblemaps-links-single-entity-to-libra-and-melania-memecoins), The Block, 2025-02-17
6. [Libra Wallets Linked to Hayden Davis Made $12 Million on Kanye West's Meme Coin](https://decrypt.co/336762/libra-wallets-linked-hayden-davis-made-12-million-kanye-west-meme-coin), Decrypt, 2025-08-25
7. [Probe reveals document detailing alleged $5 million deal linking Milei to Libra promotion: report](https://www.theblock.co/post/393639/probe-reveals-document-detailing-alleged-5-million-deal-linking-milei-to-libra-promotion-report), The Block, 2026-03-15
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