Hayes Returns to Protocol Development with Flop Labs and $FLOP Token
Arthur Hayes, co-founder of BitMEX and former CIO of Maelstrom, has announced his return to the operator's chair as CEO of Flop Labs. The new venture is building the Flop Network, a foundation for AI-agent economic activity, with its native token $FLOP serving as the unit of account for autonomous transactions.
The tagline 'food for your AI agent' reflects the project's goal to provide infrastructure for an economy where software agents handle payments and decisions without human intervention. Hayes is committing to a 100% fair launch, meaning no presale rounds or venture capital allocation, with community eligibility tied to following @flop_labs.
A large-scale airdrop is planned for Q4 2026, with the genesis block of the mainnet targeted for Q1 2027. Hayes' experience building BitMEX into a derivatives powerhouse and navigating significant legal challenges will be put to the test as he leads Flop Labs.