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Convert to IPO

July 29, 2025 • 52:58

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About This Episode

The crew is back with the latest on the Strategy $STRC IPO, converts and $MSTR earnings expectations, ATM usage and more.

In This Episode

  • STRC IPO
  • Converts and MSTR Earnings Expectations
  • No ATM Usage from Strategy
  • US Trade Deal with the EU
  • mNAV Indicator of Store of Value

Episode Summary

Key Themes: STRC’s huge IPO; perpetual preferreds as a new stage of Bitcoin finance; Strategy’s balance-sheet strength; MNAV as a reflection of execution.

STRC IPO Shows Major Demand

Jeff highlighted the significance of Strategy upsizing STRC from a planned $500 million to $2.5 billion, making it larger than Circle’s IPO and prior Strategy preferreds. He took that as evidence of strong demand for Bitcoin-backed fixed income products, especially since STRC is a more novel structure.

Why Investors Rushed In

Ben said the appeal was simple: Strategy was targeting a $100 price while issuing around $90, creating an obvious path to upside if the peg held. He expected continued rotation among Strategy’s preferreds as investors shift between monthly and quarterly payers and chase relative value. Matt added that the key thing to watch is how fast STRC gets to par and whether Strategy needs to raise the yield to make it happen.

A New Market for Strategy Securities

Jeff and Ben both said Strategy now has multiple instruments that can be traded, hedged and rotated against each other. Ben argued this gives investors unusual flexibility: they can stay focused on one company while building very different portfolio exposures inside its capital stack.

Why Strategy Is So Resilient

Jeff argued the market still underestimates how strong Strategy’s balance sheet is. With tens of billions of dollars in Bitcoin and far less in debt and preferred obligations, even a major Bitcoin drawdown would still leave the company highly capitalized. Matt said that becomes even more compelling if converts are gradually replaced by perpetual preferreds, since they remove maturity risk and leave only dividend obligations.

Perpetual Preferred Advantage

Matt said the big advantage is that Strategy can borrow without ever needing to repay principal, only the dividend. For a long-term leveraged Bitcoin strategy, that’s the ideal structure: no margin calls, no maturity wall, just manageable carrying cost.

Will Converts Be Retired Soon?

Ben raised the possibility that some deeply in-the-money converts could begin converting soon. Matt said Strategy usually moves quickly once it sets a goal, so he would not be surprised to see progress this year. Jeff and Ben added that retiring converts would also free up cash flow to support even more preferred issuance.

No ATM Sales Despite the Noise

One of the week’s ironies was that after a wave of complaints about Strategy supposedly suppressing the stock through ATM sales, it turned out there had been no ATM usage at all. Ben said that was a good reminder that price action is often driven by other market participants, not just the company.

Still Early

Jeff said even sophisticated investors struggle to explain Strategy’s preferred stack clearly, and most ordinary investors do not know these instruments exist. Ben said that’s bullish: this remains a very early market with a lot of room for growth, education and new entrants.

These Products Could Pull People Into Bitcoin

Ben suggested that Bitcoin-backed income products may end up being a gateway to Bitcoin for traditional investors. Someone looking for income may first buy a Strategy preferred, then start asking what asset is backing it and why the structure works, which eventually leads them deeper into Bitcoin itself.

Jeff said he views MNAV as the market’s judgment of the equity as a store of value. Ben added that it will become more nuanced over time as investors compare management quality, execution and structure across companies. Matt added that the right framework is twofold: what the company has already done and what investors believe it can still do to grow Bitcoin value per share.

Main Takeaway: STRC’s massive IPO confirmed demand for Bitcoin-backed income products, while Strategy’s shift to perpetual preferreds is making its capital structure stronger, more flexible and harder for the market to ignore.

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