Corporate Giants Race to Secure Crypto Fortunes

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A growing number of publicly listed companies are making bold moves into cryptocurrency, signaling a notable shift in corporate investment strategy. While the trend offers significant opportunities for returns, it also raises red flags over market stability and long-term risk exposure.

Software firm Strategy has been at the forefront of this approach, spending recent years acquiring billions of dollars’ worth of bitcoin (BTC), the world’s largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization. Now, firms across various industries, including hospitality, manufacturing, and electric vehicle production, are following in its footsteps. According to the Financial Times (FT) on August 8, many of these businesses are backed by investors looking to benefit from the growing digital asset sector without taking on the full risks of direct cryptocurrency ownership.

Figures from crypto advisory firm Architect Partners reveal the scale of the surge. As of August 5, around 154 public companies have collectively raised or committed $98.4 billion for crypto purchases in 2025 alone. This dwarfs the $33.6 billion raised by just 10 companies before this year. The spike comes amid record highs in both bitcoin prices and the broader stock market, encouraging traditional investors to find strategic entry points into the digital asset space.

However, not all analysts are convinced this trend will last. Some compare the current rush to the speculative mania of the late 1990s dot-com bubble, warning that rapid growth could be unsustainable. The primary concern is that many companies are taking on substantial debt to finance their crypto acquisitions. If asset prices tumble, these businesses could struggle to repay creditors, creating broader market instability.

Eric Benoist, a technology and data specialist at the investment bank Natixis, underscored the risks in his comments to FT. “The risk is that bitcoin crashes,” Benoist said. “Every time there’s a small panic in the market, the whole thing drops.” He noted that such a downturn could trigger falling stock prices and losses for bondholders, potentially causing systemic damage to the cryptocurrency ecosystem.

The investment momentum is not limited to bitcoin. Ethereum (ETH), the second-largest cryptocurrency, is also attracting institutional interest. Dave Merin, co-founder and chief executive officer (CEO) of The Ether Machine, told PYMNTS that his company is building a $1.5 billion Ethereum reserve. Just last week, The Ether Machine spent nearly $100 million to increase its holdings. “Everything we’re doing is built to be institutional grade from day one,” Merin explained. “No legacy liabilities, no operating distractions, just exposure to the most important digital asset since bitcoin, but done in a way that’s dynamic, thoughtful and structurally superior.”

With corporate giants moving aggressively into the crypto market, the stakes are higher than ever. Whether this surge will lead to sustained financial gains or an eventual correction will depend on market resilience, investor caution, and the ability of these companies to weather the volatility inherent in digital assets.