ORBS Soars 22% on $125M Buyback: Is This the Catalyst for a New Bull Run?

Summary
• Eightco Holdings (ORBS) surges 21.97% intraday, trading at $2.0308 after a $125M share buyback program
• Intraday range spans $1.85 to $2.5, with turnover hitting 21.4M shares
• Company holds 10% of circulating WLD supply and is backed by BitMine, Kraken, and Wedbush

Eightco Holdings (ORBS) has ignited a frenzy in the market, surging over 21% in a single trading session. The stock’s meteoric rise follows the announcement of a $125 million share repurchase program, signaling management’s confidence in the company’s undervaluation. With a 52-week high of $83.12 and a current price near the lower Bollinger Band, the move has sparked speculation about a potential rebound in the AI-resistant authentication sector.

Share Buyback Program Ignites Investor Optimism
The 21.97% intraday surge in ORBS is directly tied to the company’s $125 million share buyback program, announced by Chairman Dan Ives and CEO Kevin O’Donnell. The program underscores management’s belief in the stock’s undervaluation amid its strategic pivot toward AI-resistant authentication solutions and a growing Worldcoin (WLD) treasury. Institutional backing from entities like BitMine, Kraken, and Pantera further reinforces confidence, while the buyback itself acts as a liquidity catalyst, signaling disciplined capital allocation to shareholders.

Application Software Sector Lags as ORBS Defies Trend
The Application Software sector, led by Microsoft (MSFT), has seen mixed performance, with MSFT down 0.43% intraday. While Microsoft’s decline reflects broader tech sector volatility, ORBS’s surge highlights a divergence in investor sentiment. Unlike Microsoft’s enterprise software focus, ORBS’s niche in digital identity and authentication—particularly its Infinity by ORBS platform—positions it as a speculative play on AI-driven verification demand, uncorrelated to traditional software cycles.

Options and ETFs to Capitalize on ORBS’s Volatility
• RSI: 20.69 (oversold)
• MACD: -0.563 (bearish), Signal Line: -0.6005 (bearish), Histogram: 0.0375 (positive divergence)
• Bollinger Bands: Upper $3.19, Middle $2.48, Lower $1.77 (price near lower band)
• 30D MA: $2.61 (current price below MA)

ORBS’s technicals suggest a potential rebound from oversold levels, with the 30D MA at $2.61 acting as a key resistance. The stock’s 21.97% intraday gain has pushed it toward the upper Bollinger Band, indicating heightened volatility. For traders, the most compelling options are ORBS20260116C2 and ORBS20260417C2.5, both offering high leverage and implied volatility. The former, with a 5.57% leverage ratio and 209.37% IV, is ideal for a short-term bullish bet, while the latter’s 3.90% leverage and 152.64% IV provides exposure to a longer-term rally. Aggressive bulls may consider ORBS20260116C2 into a breakout above $2.50, with a stop-loss near the 30D MA at $2.61.

Backtest Eightco Holdings Stock Performance
The performance of ORBS after a 22% intraday surge from 2022 to now was significant, but the total return and annualized return were lower than the 0.2% intraday surge strategy on NB.O over the same period.1. Total Return and Annualized Return: - The 0.2% intraday surge strategy on NB.O delivered a total return of 3213.5% and an annualized return of 1552.1% from 2022 to 2025. - ORBS, despite a 22% intraday surge, did not provide comparable returns in either total return or annualized return.2. Maximum Drawdown: - The 0.2% intraday surge strategy on NB.O experienced a maximum drawdown of -94.7%. - ORBS also faced a drawdown, but the exact value is not provided in the available data.3. Sharpe Ratio: - The 0.2% intraday surge strategy on NB.O achieved a Sharpe ratio of 1.20. - ORBS' Sharpe ratio is not provided, making it impossible to compare risk-adjusted returns between the two strategies.In conclusion, while ORBS had a notable intraday surge, its overall performance in terms of total return and annualized return was overshadowed by the 0.2% intraday surge strategy on NB.O. Additionally, the maximum drawdown for ORBS is unknown, but it is likely to be less severe than the -94.7% experienced by the NB.O strategy. Without specific data on ORBS' maximum drawdown, direct comparison of risk management is not possible.

ORBS at Inflection Point: Buyback-Driven Momentum or Fading Hype?
Eightco Holdings’ 21.97% intraday surge is a testament to the power of a well-timed buyback program and strategic positioning in the AI-resistant authentication space. While technical indicators like RSI and Bollinger Bands suggest a potential rebound, the stock’s sustainability hinges on execution of its Worldcoin treasury and Infinity by ORBS platform. Investors should monitor the 30D MA at $2.61 and the 52-week high of $83.12 as critical benchmarks. Meanwhile, Microsoft’s -0.43% intraday decline in the Application Software sector underscores the sector’s mixed outlook, but ORBS’s unique value proposition could insulate it from broader market headwinds. For now, the ORBS20260116C2 call option offers a high-leverage, high-IV play on a potential breakout. Watch for a sustained close above $2.50 to validate the bullish case.