Eric Adams’ Next Act Is Exactly What You Thought It Might Be

NEW YORK — Eric Adams gave the impression of a man on a mission.

The fresh-out-of-a-job former New York City mayor blew back into his hometown Monday in between jaunts to Dubai, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Dallas to promote his new crypto coin with a cause. Proceeds from the $NYC Token will go toward combating antisemitism and anti-Americanism, he said.

No, he’s not taking a salary “at this time.” No, he won’t share the names of his partners in the enterprise.

“It’s all on the website,” Adams said.

The website, however, as of Monday afternoon, was still nothing but one page featuring the round $NYC logo and an enigmatic slogan: “Greatest city in the world. Creating the greatest token.”

The same logo was emblazoned on the ball cap Adams donned, the round prop he held and the massive banner requiring four people to hold it steady as he posed before it grinning in the middle of Times Square.

There, at the Crossroads of the World, the mayor — forced to abandon his reelection bid amid a dizzying saga that included a fraud case dismissed at the urging of the Trump administration — greeted reporters as if he was doing them a favor.

“Aw, I missed you guys,” he said.

Then came the pitch.

“You heard me for years, I talked about cryptocurrency and what it means,” Adams said. “This is going to be how we are going to address many of the issues you’re seeing.”

He pledged to “use the revenue generated to address anti-Americanism, antisemitism, to teach our children how to embrace the blockchain technology, of how to run cities correctly.”

The press conference was billed as an event to discuss the changes in government and rise in antisemitism. And, according to the press release sent out beforehand, the former mayor was to be joined by Jewish community leaders — though none stood behind him as he addressed reporters.

Adams did weigh in on his successor, Zohran Mamdani, without mentioning him by name.

“I’m also encouraging all New Yorkers to look at the atmosphere, protesting in front of synagogues and making comments, of anti-Israel comments,” he said, a reference to a crowd in Queens that chanted its support of Hamas.

Adams criticized Mamdani for undoing his executive orders adopting a broader definition of antisemitism endorsed by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance and banning city agencies from boycotting Israel.

“I think everyone needs a grace period, but no one gets a grace period on hate,” the mayor said.

Adams added that he plans to set up several companies, but wasn’t ready to detail them yet. The $NYC enterprise will be accompanied by a nonprofit funded by 50 million crypto tokens and overseen by the former mayor, he said.

At a simultaneous but unrelated news conference in Brooklyn, Mamdani was asked about Adams’ new venture and whether he would buy a $NYC Token.

The new mayor entertained the question with only a one-word response: “No.”

Joe Anuta contributed to this report.