SBF Reacts to Drake’s FTX Shoutout: ‘Dust is a Vibe’ Amid 25-Year Sentence

Sam Bankman-Fried Responds After Drake Name-Drops FTX on New Album

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Sam Bankman-Fried reacts to Drake’s FTX reference on social media.
Drake’s song contains multiple crypto references, including Bitcoin and FTX.
Bankman-Fried was convicted in 2023 on multiple counts of fraud and conspiracy related to the misuse of customer funds at FTX.

Sam Bankman-Fried, the ex-CEO of FTX, responded on social media after rapper Drake mentioned FTX and Bitcoin in his new song, “Dust.”

Sam Bankman-Fried posted on X (formerly Twitter) on Saturday, joking about a supposed “Drake stimulus package.” He referenced Drake’s new song “Dust,” which mentions cryptocurrency, and offered to lend a bean bag chair to anyone who needed it upon his release. The post came after Drake released new music on May 15th.

Drake confirmed that he’s providing financial help to people. He also playfully suggested that ‘Dust’ has a cool energy and, when he’s finished with it, he’ll let you borrow his beanbag chair.

— SBF (@SBF_FTX) May 16, 2026

Drake opens “Dust” with an FTX reference

In the song, Drake references the downfall of FTX, a cryptocurrency company that went bankrupt in November 2022 when it was discovered they were missing $8 billion in customer money.

Later in the song, he calls himself a “BTC, crypto big timer,” which is one of his most direct mentions of Bitcoin in his music so far. This line quickly gained traction on crypto social media, with many people pointing out the continued presence of FTX and Sam Bankman-Fried in popular culture.

Bankman-Fried is serving a 25-year sentence

In 2023, Sam Bankman-Fried was found guilty of fraud and conspiracy for improperly using customer money from his companies, FTX and Alameda Research. He received a 25-year prison sentence in 2024.

As a researcher tracking his public presence, I’ve noticed he rarely uses social media. That’s why his recent response was so significant – it’s unusual for him to make any public statements since his sentencing.

Drake’s long-running connection to crypto

Drake has been publicly connected to the cryptocurrency world for years. He’s worked with the crypto betting site Stake, often placing bets using Bitcoin. He’s also mentioned Bitcoin in his music and on social media before.

As a researcher, I observed an interesting event in 2024: Drake used his Instagram account to share comments from Michael Saylor, effectively spreading Saylor’s pro-Bitcoin opinions to millions of his followers. It was a notable instance of a celebrity leveraging their platform to discuss cryptocurrency.

FTX remains part of pop culture

As the fallout from the FTX collapse continues to be felt across many industries, Drake has released new lyrics referencing the situation. Meanwhile, Netflix is creating a limited series called ‘The Altruists’ which will tell the story of FTX’s rise and fall, and the connection between its founder, Sam Bankman-Fried, and Caroline Ellison, the former CEO of Alameda Research.

Even though FTX failed over three years ago, it’s still a frequent topic in conversations about cryptocurrency – you’ll see it mentioned in music, on TV, and in general discussions about the rise and fall of crypto.

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2026-05-16 22:13