Netflix has released the first trailer for The Altruists, its upcoming limited series inspired by the rise and collapse of FTX. The eight-episode drama stars Julia Garner as former Alameda Research CEO Caroline Ellison and Anthony Boyle as FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried. It premieres on Netflix on November 19, 2026.
The series is not a documentary, but its subject is one of the most consequential financial fraud cases of the past decade. Netflix’s new footage frames the story through the intense relationship at the center of the company’s rapid ascent and catastrophic downfall.
Netflix’s The Altruists trailer introduces the FTX drama
The trailer follows Ellison and Bankman-Fried from their early shared ambitions to the pressure and secrecy surrounding their billion-dollar business empire. Netflix describes the pair as young idealists who intended to reshape the financial system, only to become entangled in a devastating scandal.
The Altruists is a limited series, so the story is designed to be told across one eight-episode run. The official Netflix page lists it as a drama based on real life and identifies Graham Moore as its creator. Moore also serves as co-showrunner with Jacqueline Hoyt.
The title is a reference to the public-facing philosophy associated with the FTX era, but the show’s focus appears to be the personal and professional dynamic behind the company. The trailer leans into the contrast between idealism, ambition, and the real-world consequences of the fraud.
What the series is about
FTX was a cryptocurrency exchange founded by Bankman-Fried, while Ellison led the affiliated trading firm Alameda Research. Their companies collapsed in November 2022, setting off a criminal investigation, bankruptcy proceedings, and years of reporting on how customer funds were handled.
According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Bankman-Fried was convicted on fraud and conspiracy charges and was sentenced to 25 years in prison in March 2024. The Justice Department said he misappropriated billions of dollars in FTX customer funds. Ellison had previously pleaded guilty to charges connected to the schemes and cooperated with the government.
That distinction matters for viewers: the real legal case has already produced court findings and official records, while the Netflix series is a dramatized interpretation of the people and events. A scripted show can explore character and emotion, but it should not be treated as a substitute for the court record.
Julia Garner and Anthony Boyle lead the cast
Garner plays Ellison, and Boyle plays Bankman-Fried. Netflix’s casting announcement also confirms a large supporting ensemble drawn from figures connected to the FTX story.
- Alex Lawther as Sam Trabucco
- Karan Soni as Nishad Singh
- Naomi Okada as Claire Watanabe
- Madison Hu as Constance Wang
- Matt Rife as Ryan Salame
- Eugene Young as Gary Wang
- Paul Reiser as Joe Bankman
- Robin Weigert as Barbara Fried
Netflix also lists Hudson Williams, Jennifer Grey, Terry Chen, and several other actors in additional roles. The scale of the cast suggests that the series will extend beyond the central couple to examine the wider network of executives, friends, family members, and colleagues around FTX and Alameda.
The creative team behind the FTX limited series
Moore, whose credits include The Imitation Game and The Outfit, created the series and serves as a writer, showrunner, and executive producer. Hoyt is a writer, showrunner, and executive producer. The directors include James Ponsoldt, Kyle Patrick Alvarez, Mairzee Almas, Moore, and Silver Tree.
The project is produced with Higher Ground Productions, the company founded by Barack and Michelle Obama. Netflix says the series is inspired by reporting from New York Magazine writers Kevin T. Dugan and Jen Wieczner. That is useful context, although the finished program remains a dramatic series rather than a journalistic investigation.
In comments published by Netflix, Moore said he did not want the performances to become simple impressions of real people. That approach could give the actors room to build full characters while still grounding the show in a case that is familiar to many viewers.
When does The Altruists arrive on Netflix?
Netflix has confirmed that all eight episodes of The Altruists will arrive on November 19, 2026. The Netflix Media Center lists a release time of 8:00 a.m. GMT for the United States. Availability times can vary by region, so viewers should check their local Netflix app closer to release.
The new trailer is now available through Netflix’s official Tudum coverage of The Altruists. Netflix has also published first-look images and additional cast information.
Why The Altruists is a notable streaming release
Recent years have brought a wave of dramatizations about major corporate scandals, but the FTX collapse remains unusually close to the present. The criminal trial, sentencing, bankruptcy process, and customer-repayment issues have all kept the story in the public eye.
That gives The Altruists a difficult balance to strike. It has the ingredients of a high-stakes relationship drama, but it is also based on a fraud that caused real financial harm. The most compelling version of the series will need to keep that human impact in view rather than treating the scandal as spectacle alone.
For now, the trailer offers the clearest indication of Netflix’s approach: a character-driven story about power, loyalty, and the choices that followed the promise of changing finance. Will you be watching The Altruists when it premieres on Netflix?
Sources for editorial review
Official / primary
- Netflix Tudum: official trailer article
- Netflix Tudum: cast, images and release-date information
- Netflix Media Center: series details and full cast
- U.S. Department of Justice: Bankman-Fried sentencing
Reliable secondary
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