Ben Strack

This is a segment from the Forward Guidance newsletter. To read full editions, <a href="https://blockworks.co/newsletter/forward-guidance" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">subscribe</a>.



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Because companies accumulating crypto (aka digital asset treasuries, or DATs) have created quite the buzz this summer, it’s worth addressing reported guidance such firms are getting from a major exchange.&nbsp;



The TL;DR, you ask? Nasdaq told companies listed on its exchange that their shareholders, “under certain circumstances,” would need to approve plans to raise money to buy crypto, Yueqi Yang <a href="https://www.theinformation.com/articles/nasdaq-steps-scrutiny-companies-loading-crypto?offer=rtsu-engagement-25%2Crtsu-featured-articles-pro&amp;utm_campaign=RTSU%3A+Nasdaq+Steps+U&amp;utm_content=9928&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_source=cio&amp;utm_term=6713">reported</a>.



I got ahold of a rep at Nasdaq, who declined to comment.



But let’s take a moment to clarify something. The exchange has not created any new rules specific to crypto-linked companies. Any guidance given to industry firms deals with adhering to existing standards (feel free to peruse those <a href="https://listingcenter.nasdaq.com/rulebook/nasdaq/rules/nasdaq-5600-series#nasdaq-rule_5635">here</a>).&nbsp;



Among the companies reportedly in the crosshairs here was Heritage Distilling, Finality Capital Partners’ David Grider’s X post shows.&nbsp;



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1178" height="1262" src="https://blockworks-co.imgix.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/image-56.png?w=1024&amp;h=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-107313" style="width:645px;height:auto" srcset="https://blockworks-co.imgix.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/image-56.png?w=1178 1178w, https://blockworks-co.imgix.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/image-56.png?w=280 280w, https://blockworks-co.imgix.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/image-56.png?w=956 956w, https://blockworks-co.imgix.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/image-56.png?w=768 768w, https://blockworks-co.imgix.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/image-56.png?w=240 240w, https://blockworks-co.imgix.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/image-56.png?w=244 244w, https://blockworks-co.imgix.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/image-56.png?w=204 204w, https://blockworks-co.imgix.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/image-56.png?w=75 75w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1178px) 100vw, 1178px" /></figure>



My colleague Byron Gilliam — author of <a href="https://blockworks.co/newsletter/the-breakdown">The Breakdown newsletter</a> — gave this <a href="https://blockworks.co/news/overconfidence-in-crypto-markets">take</a> yesterday: “That doesn’t seem like a lot to ask — shouldn’t shareholders get to vote on such a major change of direction?”



Put simply, I agree. And others — like Federico Brokate, head of 21Shares’ US business — tell me they too are not surprised, given exchanges long prioritizing investor protection.



“Transitioning to a digital asset treasury significantly alters a company’s risk and return profile, making it crucial for boards and investors to be aligned in their understanding and approval of such a strategic move,” the ex-BlackRock exec said.



Bitwise senior investment strategist Juan Leon added: “The change reinforces a trend: institutional investors are increasingly embracing crypto, but looking for transparency and governance standards.”&nbsp;



The more important question seems to be how this would impact what has become <a href="https://blockworks.co/news/companies-holding-crypto-phase-one">a bit of a craze</a>. The splash of colors on the right side of this chart show how many more companies have begun stockpiling bitcoin, ether and other tokens this summer: <img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="624" height="337" src="blob:https://cms.blockworks.co/ca5dc9fe-87bb-4077-8c20-faa9c8ba2d1a">



Shares of Strategy — holder of a bazillion or so bitcoin (636,505 BTC, in actuality) — dipped Thursday, seemingly in response to the report.



BitMine Immersion, which boasts the <a href="https://blockworks.co/news/eth-treasury-companies-growth">largest corporate ETH treasury</a> and also saw a share price decline Thursday, felt the need to share an X post in the story’s wake.&nbsp;



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">For those wondering&#8230; BitMine is listed on the NYSE American. BitMine is able to issue shares via its existing shelf registration without shareholder approval. Ticker: <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%24BMNR&amp;src=ctag&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">$BMNR</a> Chairman: Thomas &quot;Tom&quot; Lee <a href="https://twitter.com/fundstrat?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@fundstrat</a>&mdash; Bitmine BMNR (@BitMNR) <a href="https://twitter.com/BitMNR/status/1963687490557980692?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 4, 2025</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



“We don’t anticipate this rule will significantly deter corporate interest in adding crypto to balance sheets,” Brokate noted. “While it may introduce some delays as boards and shareholders assess the risks and benefits, it’s unlikely to stifle overall demand.”



Leon agreed about Nasdaq’s reported guidance potentially slowing adoption, particularly for smaller companies seeking to replicate MSTR’s model. Over the longer term, it could “concentrate the crypto treasury strategy among better-capitalized, high-conviction firms willing to navigate the governance process,” he added.



That doesn’t seem like a bad thing at all — and could help investors more easily navigate a subsector some <a href="https://fortune.com/crypto/2025/07/30/bitcoin-treasuries/">remain skeptical of</a>. Perhaps you saw what <a href="https://x.com/nic__carter/status/1928447918354149728">Nic Carter</a> and Blockworks’ own <a href="https://x.com/MikeIppolito_/status/1927450775870931015">Michael Ippolito</a> had to say about these vehicles as far back as May.&nbsp;



“For investors, that means the wild-west phase of public companies casually turning into crypto vehicles is ending,” Leon explained.&nbsp;



Perhaps only a handful of these crypto-accumulating machines reach scale and withstand the test of time. But we’re likely to see <a href="https://blockworks.co/news/companies-building-btc-treasuries-corporate-reserves">many more</a> quietly putting a small percentage of reserves toward BTC, for example, as a hedge against uncertainty.



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Nasdaq’s reported guidance to DATs ‘unlikely to stifle overall demand’

Jack Kubinec

Multicoin Capital managing partner Kyle Samani is expected to serve as chairman for a forthcoming Solana treasury vehicle, three sources with knowledge of the matter said.



Multicoin hatched plans for a potential $1 billion Solana digital asset treasury company, alongside Galaxy Digital and Jump Crypto, Bloomberg first <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-08-25/galaxy-jump-multicoin-seek-1-billion-for-buying-solana-token">reported</a>.



According to the report, the DAT is expected to be created via a takeover of an undisclosed publicly traded entity. The transaction is yet to take place.&nbsp;



Multicoin and Galaxy declined to comment. Samani and Jump did not return requests for comment.



Samani’s role as chairman could answer a question on many Solana watchers’ minds lately: <a href="https://blockworks.co/news/solana-wall-street-champion">Who will be Solana’s version of Michael Saylor?</a>&nbsp;



Multicoin first <a href="https://www.crunchbase.com/funding_round/solana-io-seed--6b558739">invested</a> in Solana during the blockchain’s 2018 seed round, and Samani has become one of the network’s staunchest advocates.



Samani frequently posts in Solana’s favor — and <a href="https://x.com/KyleSamani/status/1962520401915027808">trolls</a> its competitors — to his more than 170,000 followers on X. Samani’s chairmanship could set him up for a similar role to Strategy executive chairman Michael Saylor and BitMine chairman Tom Lee, who have become well-known for television appearances and social media posts praising bitcoin and ether — which are held by their respective DATs.



If Multicoin, Galaxy, and Jump’s forthcoming DAT is able to raise and deploy $1 billion, it would become the largest Solana treasury vehicle as things stand today. The current leader, Upexi, has a net asset value of $413 million, according to Blockworks Research <a href="https://blockworks.com/analytics/treasury-companies">data</a>.&nbsp;



Solana treasury companies are proportionally smaller overall than for BTC or ETH. Just 1% of SOL is held by treasury companies, compared to 3.4% and 2.9% of bitcoin and ether, respectively.



Updated 9/5/2025 at 1:42 p.m. ET: Michael Saylor is Strategy executive chairman.



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Multicoin’s Kyle Samani expected to be chairman for Solana treasury company: Sources

Sora Ventures has announced plans to launch Asia’s first $1 billion Bitcoin treasury fund, aiming to accelerate regional adoption of corporate Bitcoin reserves.



The announcement came during Taipei Blockchain Week, with the firm disclosing $200 million in initial institutional commitments from Asia-based partners. Sora Ventures said it intends to complete the Bitcoin acquisitions within six months, positioning the vehicle as the largest coordinated treasury initiative in the region.



The effort comes amid a broader surge in corporate crypto treasury strategies, first popularized by U.S. firms like MicroStrategy and Block. Blockworks reporting shows companies added billions in digital assets in recent months.



That includes Strategy Inc.’s 636,505 BTC, BitMine Immersion’s 1.87 million ETH, and SharpLink’s recent 39,008 ETH acquisition. Ether Machine, preparing for a Nasdaq debut, has also raised 150,000 ETH in financing, bringing its total holdings close to half a million ETH.



Sora’s fund aims to support both existing treasury participants and new entrants, including Metaplanet in Japan, as well as Moon Inc., BitPlanet and DV8 in Southeast Asia. Sora is also part of a consortium seeking a controlling stake in Thai-listed DV8 to further expand Bitcoin treasury access in the region. Blockworks Research data shows how corporate crypto treasuries have expanded well beyond Bitcoin, with firms now holding more than $90 billion in BTC, $12 billion in ETH, and nearly $1 billion in SOL.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1600" height="889" src="https://blockworks-co.imgix.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/image-43.png?w=1024&amp;h=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-107228" srcset="https://blockworks-co.imgix.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/image-43.png?w=1600 1600w, https://blockworks-co.imgix.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/image-43.png?w=300 300w, https://blockworks-co.imgix.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/image-43.png?w=1024 1024w, https://blockworks-co.imgix.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/image-43.png?w=768 768w, https://blockworks-co.imgix.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/image-43.png?w=1536 1536w, https://blockworks-co.imgix.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/image-43.png?w=428 428w, https://blockworks-co.imgix.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/image-43.png?w=470 470w, https://blockworks-co.imgix.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/image-43.png?w=389 389w, https://blockworks-co.imgix.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/image-43.png?w=80 80w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Aggregate market cap of crypto treasury companies by asset | Source: Blockworks Research</figcaption></figure>



Strategy (MSTR) leads with 636,505 BTC worth $70.5 billion, while BitMine tops Ethereum holders with 1.87 million ETH, and Solana exposure is spread across companies like Upexi and Sharps Technology, which each hold roughly 2 million SOL.



Aggregate treasury assets have now exceeded $100 billion in market value, with some firms allocating more than 80% of total assets to crypto.



This is a developing story.



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This article was generated with the assistance of AI and reviewed by editor&nbsp;<a href="mailto:jeffrey@blockworks.co" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Jeffrey Albus</a>&nbsp;before publication.



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<li><a href="https://blockworks.co/newsletter/empire">Empire</a>: Crypto news and analysis to start your day.</li>



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