If regulators and lawmakers describe the current state of cryptocurrencies as like the “Wild West”, advocates view it more as a Robin-Hood style redistribution, robbing the rich institutions of their monopoly on moving and managing money, while empowering poor ordinary users.

The concept is probably not behind Sam Bankman-Fried’s reported interest in acquiring the Robinhood app-based brokerage. Still, the co-founder of the FTX cryptocurrency exchange has been instrumental of late in lending support to the band of merry men challenging the established order.

So far he has been protecting the blockchain ecosystem with tightly controlled short-term loans, but on Friday, he signed a deal with BlockFi that includes an option for his exchange to buy the lending platform for up to $240mn. It had been valued at $4bn after a funding round last summer. BlockFi chief executive Zac Prince said the agreement included a $400mn revolving credit facility from FTX US, as well as an option to be bought at a “variable price?.?.?.?based on performance triggers”.