Kraken has ramped up its support for Ross Ulbricht, the Silk Road creator, who was released from prison on January 22 after serving 12 years. The cryptocurrency exchange made a donation of $111,111 in Bitcoin to Ulbricht through his official website, which is aimed at helping him reintegrate into society. This follows speculations that wallets associated with Ulbricht hold around $47 million in Bitcoin, based on a statement from Coinbase executive Conor Grogan. Grogan suggested that while Ulbricht's access to these funds is uncertain, the potential movement of these assets could soon come to light. Ulbricht’s release has reignited discussions about the implications of his actions and the severity of his original punishment. The crypto community has positively responded to his pardoning by former President Donald Trump, viewing it as an affirmation of promises made during Trump’s 2016 campaign, especially to the libertarian and crypto voter base. Using blockchain analytics, the increasingly valuable nature of Ulbricht's remaining Bitcoin has garnered new attention to the Silk Road's impact on cryptocurrency discourse.

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