Netflix has released the official trailer for its upcoming limited series examining the events that led to the collapse of cryptocurrency exchange FTX. Titled The Altruists, the eight-episode production centers on former FTX chief executive Sam Bankman-Fried and Caroline Ellison, who led the affiliated trading firm Alameda Research.

All episodes are scheduled to arrive on the streaming platform on November 19. The series stars Anthony Boyle as Bankman-Fried and Julia Garner as Ellison, portraying the pair as ambitious young figures whose efforts to reshape finance ended in one of the industry’s largest failures.

Trailer Focuses on Relationship and Risk-Taking

In promotional material shared by the platform, the series is framed around the personal and professional dynamics between the two central characters. The trailer includes dialogue that draws from the high-stakes decision-making associated with FTX’s operations, including a line stating that going all-in every time is the mathematically optimal strategy.

Another sequence features Garner’s character delivering the line “Lying isn’t bad for a good cause.” That dialogue closely tracks testimony Ellison provided during Bankman-Fried’s 2023 criminal trial, in which she described interpretations of effective altruism that treated certain rules differently when pursued for what was viewed as a greater purpose. Effective altruism, as discussed in those proceedings, centers on maximizing positive impact, including through the practice of earning to give.

Co-showrunners Graham Moore and Jacqueline Hoyt lead the project. Moore, known for writing The Imitation Game, has described the narrative as following individuals who began with charitable intentions and gradually escalated into more serious misconduct. Hoyt has noted that the couple’s mutual encouragement helped build the company before personal factors contributed to its destruction. James Ponsoldt directed the first episode. The series draws inspiration from reporting by New York Magazine and Vox Media, with Higher Ground Productions, founded by Barack and Michelle Obama, also involved through its partnership with Netflix.

Supporting Cast and Production Details

Beyond the leads, the cast includes Paul Reiser as Bankman-Fried’s father, Joe Bankman, and Robin Weigert as his mother, Barbara Fried. Additional roles feature Alex Lawther as former Alameda co-chief Sam Trabucco, Matt Rife as former FTX executive Ryan Salame, Karan Soni as Nishad Singh, Eugene Young as Gary Wang, Jennifer Grey as Ellison’s mother, and Terry Chen as Binance founder Changpeng Zhao. Maddie Hasson and Marianna Phung also appear.

Netflix positions the drama as an exploration of private interactions and motivations that extend beyond publicly documented events. The production presents the central figures as idealists whose plans for the financial system became entangled in alleged large-scale fraud.

Real-World Context of the FTX Collapse

FTX filed for bankruptcy in November 2022 after a rapid loss of customer confidence. Federal prosecutors later charged Bankman-Fried, Ellison and others connected to FTX and Alameda Research. Ellison entered a plea agreement and testified for the government. Bankman-Fried went to trial and was convicted on seven felony counts related to fraud. He received a 25-year prison sentence along with supervised release and substantial forfeiture orders.

According to the U.S. Department of Justice, the case involved the misappropriation of more than $8 billion in customer funds, along with additional losses to investors and lenders. Prosecutors described customer deposits being used for investments, political contributions, real estate purchases and to cover Alameda obligations, while public statements portrayed the funds as protected and separate.

Ellison was released from federal custody in January following a shorter sentence tied to her cooperation. She has also faced civil restrictions, including a multi-year bar on serving as an officer or director of public companies. Bankman-Fried has continued to challenge his conviction, seeking review by the U.S. Supreme Court and pursuing a presidential pardon. A U.S. Senate resolution opposing clemency for him was previously adopted.

The series arrives as these legal matters remain active, offering a dramatized account of the decisions and relationships that preceded the exchange’s failure. Viewers will encounter a narrative that interweaves personal dynamics with the operational choices that defined one of the most closely watched episodes in recent financial history.