Jed McCaleb, the serial entrepreneur behind some of crypto’s most notable ventures, is now betting on a future far beyond Earth. Known for founding Mt. Gox and co-founding Ripple, McCaleb is now racing toward the stars with his latest venture — Vast, a space station company aiming to redefine humanity’s footprint in the universe.
In a recent interview with Bloomberg, McCaleb confirmed that Vast is preparing to launch its first commercial space station, Haven-1, by May 2026. If successful, Vast could become a critical player in replacing the aging International Space Station (ISS), securing multi-billion-dollar contracts from NASA.
But failure comes with a steep price. Missing out on NASA’s selection could erase $1 billion from McCaleb’s net worth and derail Vast’s ambitious future.
Chasing NASA’s Billion-Dollar Prize
Vast is entering a crowded race filled with heavyweights — Axiom Space, Voyager Space Holdings, Lockheed Martin, and Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin — all vying for NASA’s nod to build the next-generation orbital outpost. NASA is expected to hand out contracts in mid-2026, setting the stage for a high-stakes showdown.
For McCaleb, this isn’t just another venture. It’s a personal mission fueled by a belief that humanity must expand beyond Earth to survive.
“It’s super important that people take this leap… to a potential world where there’s a lot of people living off the Earth,” McCaleb said.
Vast’s strategy leans heavily on a partnership with SpaceX, using their technology to bridge the gap between concept and orbit. The firm is integrating SpaceX’s docking systems, Starlink internet, and has already booked SpaceX flights to deliver its station and crew into orbit, pending NASA’s green light.
Artificial Gravity and the Race to Sustain Life Beyond Earth
One of Vast’s most ambitious plans? Creating artificial gravity to combat the severe health risks astronauts face during prolonged stays in space — including organ damage.
Unlike the ISS, which features advanced water recycling and oxygen systems, Haven-1 is designed for shorter visits and won’t initially carry these capabilities. However, Vast plans to roll out Haven-2 by 2028, a long-term station featuring Earth-like conditions, marking a significant leap toward human habitability in space.
Both McCaleb and Vast’s President Max Haot have declared they’re ready to board the spacecraft themselves — a rare commitment in a field often driven by remote engineering rather than personal risk.
From Crypto to Cosmos: McCaleb’s Wild Ride Continues
McCaleb’s pivot from crypto to space may seem unexpected, but risk-taking has always been his hallmark. From launching eDonkey in the early 2000s to founding Mt. Gox — once the world’s largest Bitcoin exchange — his ventures have consistently pushed boundaries.
After exiting Mt. Gox in 2011, just before its infamous collapse, McCaleb co-founded Ripple and created the XRP token, securing billions in personal wealth after selling his holdings. He later launched Stellar (XLM), another blockchain project now valued at nearly $9 billion.
Now, he’s channeling those gains into the ultimate frontier — outer space.
A Billion-Dollar Gamble on Humanity’s Future
While his track record of success in uncharted territories is undeniable, space is a different beast. The stakes are higher, the risks deadlier, and the competition fiercer. Yet, McCaleb seems unfazed.
“There are not that many folks willing to dedicate the amount of resources, time, and risk tolerance that I am,” he told Bloomberg — a statement that perfectly captures his ethos.
With Haven-1, McCaleb is not just building companies — he’s building humanity’s future.
Whether Vast soars or stumbles, one thing is clear: the race to dominate space has begun, and McCaleb is determined to be more than just a spectator.
The Takeaway
Vast’s journey reflects a broader global shift — where tech billionaires, from Elon Musk to Jeff Bezos, are racing to turn science fiction into reality. The next decade will decide who leads this new industrial revolution above the clouds.
If McCaleb wins, he won’t just be remembered as a crypto pioneer. He’ll be the man who helped move humanity one step closer to becoming a multi-planetary species.
The countdown has started.
