As a seasoned analyst with over two decades of experience in the financial markets, I have witnessed numerous acquisitions and mergers that have shaped industries. However, the potential acquisition of Bakkt by Trump Media, if it indeed materializes, seems to be an extraordinary move in the rapidly evolving crypto space.
On Monday, Bakkt’s stock price soared by more than 162% following news reports that Donald Trump’s firm is in advanced negotiations to purchase the cryptocurrency trading platform, according to the Financial Times.
On November 18, Bakkt Holdings Inc (BKKT) ended the trading day with a surge of 162.46%, closing at $29.71. Subsequently, it rose an additional 16.43% post-market hours, reaching $34.59. On the other hand, Trump Media and Technology Group Corp (DJT), operators of Truth Social, finished the day with a gain of 16.65%. However, following market close, it experienced a decrease of approximately 3.5%, as per Google Finance’s data.
On November 18th, as reported earlier by The Financial Times, it’s been indicated by two sources familiar with the negotiations that Trump Media, which is predominantly owned by the incoming U.S. president (with a 53% stake), has been actively discussing an all-stock acquisition of Bakkt – a company owned by Intercontinental Exchange.
Since Donald Trump’s victory in the recent elections, there has been a significant increase in the cryptocurrency market. For instance, Bitcoin (BTC) has risen approximately 30%. During his campaign, Trump indicated a willingness to ease regulatory scrutiny of the crypto sector and even suggested the potential creation of a strategic Bitcoin reserve, among other favorable statements towards digital currencies.
If the agreement comes to fruition, it would represent another step by Trump in the realm of cryptocurrency. The incoming administration has already granted permission for Trump’s image to be used across numerous non-interchangeable token (NFT) collections and endorsed his family’s crypto project, World Liberty Financial. Trump and his family are expected to receive 75% of the fees generated by this venture.
An Intercontinental Exchange representative declined to provide a statement when queried about the rumored agreement. Neither Trump Media nor Bakkt provided an immediate response when asked for a comment.
The monetary worth of the agreement remains undisclosed, but Bakkt’s value has soared beyond $400 million following a surge in its stock price. This is despite the exchange encountering difficulties in achieving profitability. Additionally, Bakkt’s anticipated crypto custody business failed to gain traction, with the company announcing its intent to shut it down. According to Financial Times reports, this particular aspect won’t be part of any potential deal with Trump Media.
Bakkt: Trump’s vehicle for strategic Bitcoin reserve?
It’s predicted that Trump may encounter opposition when attempting to establish a Bitcoin reserve, as this venture would necessitate approval from Congress. Not all legislators in Washington D.C. might be eager for the government to possess an asset known for its historical instability and rapid fluctuations.
Izabella Kaminska, the founder of The Blind Spot financial news outlet, pointed out in an article that setting up a bitcoin reserve could prove challenging without congressional approval. However, she suggested that a Simplified Payment Verification (SPV) system might be the most straightforward workaround for this issue.
An SPV, or Special Purpose Entity, is a business established to separate potential risks from its main company and only perform specific tasks, such as investing in Bitcoin.
Kaminska proposed an idea suggesting that Trump might employ Trump Media as a means for establishing a strategic Bitcoin reserve, bypassing the need for congressional authorization.
As an analyst, I’d put it this way: I hypothesized that Trump could instruct Trump Media to employ Bakkt as a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV), allowing them to purchase Bitcoin. Subsequently, they could establish a profit-sharing agreement where any capital gains would be directly donated to the U.S. government.
However, here’s where I regret my oversight. With congressional approval not being a certainty (218 seats might not be sufficient given the number of those who object), I had considered initiating the process as early as July by utilizing DJT as a quicker method. Here’s what I…
— Izabella Kaminska (@izakaminska) November 18, 2024
If individuals persistently find it unbelievable, I’m not sure they fully grasp the extent of privatization that’s being implemented under the Trump administration,” Kaminska expressed.
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2024-11-19 04:41