Shaw Walters

Who they are

Shaw Walters is the founder of Eliza Labs, the company behind the ElizaOS agent framework and the ai16z token. The project positioned itself as an AI-run venture fund, a deliberate riff on the venture firm Andreessen Horowitz, and became the anchor asset of the AI agent narrative that dominated crypto through late 2024 and 2025. He is one of the most consequential and most contested figures in the crypto-AI crossover.

History

ai16z launched on Solana and became the flagship of the AI agent token wave, reaching a peak valuation reported around $2.6 billion before collapsing catastrophically. The project rebranded from ai16z to ElizaOS after a16z managing partner Chris Dixon publicly raised brand confusion concerns. In February 2025 Walters's X account was compromised and used to promote a fake ELIZA token on Solana, sending the price down more than 15% in the aftermath; he stated he had 2FA, a password manager and a strong password, and could not explain the attack. In August 2025 Eliza Labs accused X of building copycat AI products after being exposed to its technical information and alleged monopoly abuse after the platform removed the company; the accounts were restored roughly six months later, which triggered a 150% token price surge inside 24 hours. In April 2026 a class action was filed in federal court naming Eliza Labs and Walters, alleging the founders faked the AI agent's capabilities and misled investors in what plaintiffs describe as a $2.6 billion scheme, with the token having fallen roughly 99.9% from its peak. These allegations are unproven and the case is ongoing, but anyone researching the AI agent category needs them on the record.

Notes

• Founded Eliza Labs, creator of the ElizaOS agent framework and the ai16z token.
• ai16z became the flagship asset of the 2024 to 2025 AI agent token mania.
• Peaked at a reported $2.6 billion valuation before falling roughly 99.9%.
• Rebranded ai16z to ElizaOS after a16z partner Chris Dixon raised brand confusion concerns.
• His X account was hacked in February 2025 to shill a fake ELIZA token, dropping the price over 15%.
• Eliza Labs sued X in August 2025 alleging copycat products and monopoly abuse after being removed from the platform.
• Account restoration after a six-month ban triggered a 150% token surge within 24 hours.
• Named in an April 2026 federal class action alleging the AI agent was faked and investors were misled. Allegations are unproven.