The Altruists, Netflix’s limited series about the rise and collapse of the crypto exchange FTX, premieres on Thursday, November 19, 2026, and all eight episodes land the same day. In the United States it streams only on Netflix, which posts new originals at 12:00 a.m. PT / 3:00 a.m. ET, so you will need an active subscription to press play the moment it drops.
How to watch The Altruists at a glance
- Platform (US): Netflix — no separate rental or purchase
- Premiere: Thursday, November 19th
- Release time: 12:00 a.m. PT / 3:00 a.m. ET
- Episodes: all 8 released at once
- Starting price: $8.99/month (Standard with Ads)
What is The Altruists about?
The series dramatizes one of the largest financial frauds of the decade: the implosion of FTX, the cryptocurrency exchange that went from a $32 billion valuation to bankruptcy in a matter of days. At its center are founder Sam Bankman-Fried and Caroline Ellison, the head of his sister trading firm, Alameda Research — two math-minded twentysomethings whom Netflix frames as “Gen Z’s own Bonnie and Clyde,” idealists who set out to reshape global finance and were ultimately accused of stealing roughly $8 billion in customer funds.
Rather than a dry procedural, the show is built as a doomed love story wrapped around a collapse the whole world watched in real time. Its tagline — “All in. Every time.” — comes straight from the risk-everything philosophy that the real Ellison and Bankman-Fried used to justify their bets, right up until there was nothing left to bet.
Who stars in it?
Julia Garner, an Emmy winner for Ozark and the lead of Inventing Anna, plays Caroline Ellison. Anthony Boyle, recently seen in Say Nothing and Masters of the Air, plays Sam Bankman-Fried — the second time the two actors have shared top billing on a Netflix project. The supporting cast includes Alex Lawther, Karan Soni, Naomi Okada, Madison Hu, Hudson Williams and Matt Rife.
The limited series was created by Graham Moore, the Oscar-winning screenwriter of The Imitation Game, together with Jacqueline Hoyt (The Underground Railroad). James Ponsoldt directs the premiere. The combination — a heist-adjacent true story, a prestige cast and a writer who specializes in brilliant people undone by their own certainty — is a large part of why this is one of Netflix’s most anticipated fall titles.
When do all the episodes come out?
There is no weekly rollout here. Netflix is dropping the full eight-episode season on November 19th, so the entire story is available to binge from day one. For viewers on the East Coast, that means the episodes unlock in the small hours of Thursday morning (3:00 a.m. ET); on the West Coast they go live at midnight (12:00 a.m. PT) as Wednesday turns into Thursday.
How much does it cost to watch?
Because The Altruists is a Netflix original, it is included with any Netflix plan at no extra charge — there is nothing to rent or buy separately. As of this writing, Netflix’s U.S. pricing runs $8.99 a month for Standard with Ads, $19.99 a month for the ad-free Standard tier, and $26.99 a month for Premium. The ad-supported plan is the cheapest way in, though it streams in 1080p rather than 4K.
Is The Altruists based on a true story?
Yes. The series is a dramatization of real events: FTX’s rapid collapse in late 2022, the criminal cases that followed, and the relationship between Bankman-Fried and Ellison. Names, timelines and private moments have been shaped for television, so it should be watched as a drama inspired by the record rather than a documentary. Viewers who want the straight facts can pair it with the extensive court reporting that came out of the federal trials.
For context, the real backdrop is well documented. FTX filed for bankruptcy in November 2022 after a liquidity crisis exposed billions in missing customer deposits. Bankman-Fried was convicted on multiple fraud and conspiracy counts in 2023 and sentenced to a long prison term, while Ellison pleaded guilty and cooperated with prosecutors, becoming a central witness against her former partner. The series uses that arc — the meteoric ascent, the public adulation, and the swift unraveling — as its spine, which is part of why the “based on a true story” label carries more weight here than usual.
Frequently asked
Is The Altruists on any service besides Netflix in the US? No. It is a Netflix original and streams exclusively on Netflix in the United States.
How many episodes are there? Eight, all released on November 19th.
Do I have to watch weekly? No. Every episode arrives at once, so you can watch at your own pace.
What time do the episodes drop? 12:00 a.m. PT / 3:00 a.m. ET on Thursday, November 19, 2026.
Can I watch with the ad-supported plan? Yes. The $8.99 Standard with Ads tier includes the full series; only the streaming resolution and a short ad load set it apart from the pricier plans.
