Strategy Reports Record Quarterly Loss of $12.54 Billion
The gap between corporate bitcoin strategy and accounting reality snaps into focus as Strategy posts the largest quarterly loss in its history, even as its bitcoin hoard quietly sits in the black. Coinbase rewires itself for an AI-native future one day before facing Wall Street, while miners split into two camps of infrastructure builders with billions in locked revenue, and balance-sheet holders still searching for a narrative. Stay up on the crypto news that matters with "Crypto Currents," daily from The Fly. Join us at 2 PM ET for your essential briefing on the fast-moving world of cryptocurrency on FlyCast radio.STRATEGY'S RECORD QUARTERLY LOSS:Strategy(MSTR)reported a net loss of ($12.54B), or ($38.25) per share, for Q1 2026, the largest quarterly deficit in the company's history,. Bitcoin(BTC-USD)slid from roughly $88,000 at year-open, and after briefly touching near $97,000 in mid-January, to about $68,000 by March 31, the period-end level that set the mark-to-market. The software segment itself posted $124.3M in revenue, up 11.9% year-over-year with a 67.1% gross margin, underscoring that the operating loss of ($14.47B) is entirely a function of bitcoin pricing, not the core business.Strategy acquired approximately 89,600 bitcoin for $5.5B during Q1, its second-largest quarterly purchase on record, bringing total holdings to 818,334 bitcoin, roughly 3.9% of total bitcoin supply, at an average cost of $75,537 per coin. As of May 3, the portfolio carried a market value of $64.14B against that cost basis, representing a modest unrealized gain at current prices. CFO Andrew Kang cited strong demand for the company's STRC preferred instrument, claiming a bitcoin yield of 9.4% and an estimated $5B bitcoin dollar gain through the first four months of 2026. For holders, the key watch item remains whether the capital-raising machine, which has driven STRC-financed purchases of roughly 77,000 bitcoin year-to-date, can continue to outpace bitcoin's own volatility-driven mark-to-market swings.COINBASE RESTRUCTURES FOR AI:Coinbase(COIN)announced it is, the bulk of which will be recognized in Q2. CEO Brian Armstrong framed the reorganization not as a defensive cost cut but as a structural rebuild toward what he called an "AI-native" operating model, flattening the organization to no more than five layers below the CEO and COO and experimenting with one-person teams combining engineering, design, and product management. U.S. employees being separated will receive a minimum of 16 weeks' base pay plus two additional weeks per year of service. The cut lands one day before Coinbase reports Q1 earnings. Wall Street's consensus heading into the print sits at EPS of 36c, an 81.4% year-over-year decline, on $1.5B in revenue, representing a 26.1% year-over-year drop.HUT 8 AND CORE SCIENTIFIC:Hut 8(HUT)reported Q1 revenue of $71.0M, up from $21.8M vs. last year, driven by $66.0M in compute revenue as its hyperscale AI data center build-out ramps, per the company's. A $295.7M unrealized loss on digital assets pushed the net loss attributable to Hut 8 to $219.8M, or ($1.98) per share, with an operating loss of ($370.4M). The company reported $16.8B in contracted lease revenue across two hyperscale AI campuses under triple-net, take-or-pay structures, with a development pipeline totaling 8,375 MW as of May 6. Separately, Hut 8'sconfirmed its River Bend campus in Louisiana, anchored by a partnership with Fluidstack for at least 245 MW, remains the core growth driver as the company transitions away from pure-play bitcoin mining.Core Scientific(CORZ)holds its Q1 2026 earnings call today at 4:30 p.m. ET, pera company press release. Core Scientific's pivot from self-mining to high-density colocation, anchored by its long-term contract with CoreWeave(CRWV)and a target of approximately 590 MW energized by early 2027, remains the central investment thesis heading into the print.CURRENC AND ANIMOCA EXTEND DEADLINE:Currenc Group(CURR)disclosing. Under the terms of the proposed transaction, Animoca shareholders would own approximately 95% of the merged entity, with existing Currenc holders retaining 5%; the resulting company would operate under the Animoca Brands name with closing targeted for Q3 2026. The extension is non-binding and subject to definitive documentation; material closing conditions include regulatory approvals from Bank Negara Malaysia and the Monetary Authority of Singapore for a separate $400M Tranglo asset sale,.PRICE ACTION:As of time of writing, bitcoin was trading at $81,671.40, while ether was trading at $2,356.80,according to price data from TipRanks.
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- Bitcoin Market Pullback: Bitcoin has faced a nearly nine-month decline, with current prices nearing $22,000, and historically, four of the five worst drawdowns exceeded 80%, indicating extreme market pessimism that could further pressure MicroStrategy (MSTR) stock.
- Bearish Technical Indicators: Several technical indicators, including EMA, WMA, MACD, and DMI, are showing clear bearish signals, reflecting a lack of confidence among investors in Bitcoin and related stocks, which may influence MSTR's stock holding decisions.
- Investor Strategy Adjustment: Retail investors can hedge risks by selling highly liquid call options, adopting strategies similar to top-performing option income funds to generate income while mitigating potential losses in the current market environment.
- Importance of Risk Management: Although market momentum remains negative, employing defined-risk call option strategies allows investors to maintain income amidst Bitcoin market volatility, avoiding blind shorting at lows and better navigating market uncertainties.
- Target Price Cuts: Citi slashed its price target for Strategy from $260 to $136, primarily due to a 27% reduction in Bitcoin price outlook to $81,800, while maintaining a 'Buy' rating, indicating confidence in the company's future.
- BTIG's Adjustment: BTIG lowered its target from $350 to $250, emphasizing Strategy as a leveraged play on Bitcoin, and despite increased market volatility, the company is expected to outperform as Bitcoin prices recover.
- Canaccord's Perspective: Canaccord analyst Joseph Vafi cut his target from $163 to $130, noting that the ongoing decline in Bitcoin has made market conditions tougher, but the company's $1.5 billion buyback of convertible notes has strengthened its resilience.
- Market Reaction: Despite the target cuts, MSTR's stock rose over 8% in early trading, indicating that retail sentiment remains in the 'bullish' zone, reflecting confidence in the company's future performance.
- Market Sentiment Dips: Major cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum fell by 2.52% and 1.54% respectively amid ongoing negative sentiment, indicating a weakening investor confidence that could affect short-term trading strategies.
- Market Liquidation: Nearly $250 million was liquidated from the cryptocurrency market in the last 24 hours, with $183 million in bullish long positions erased, reflecting panic among investors during price declines and potentially leading to further market volatility.
- Bitcoin Supply Dynamics: For the first time, Bitcoin's supply in loss surpassed its supply in profit, reaching 10.45 million BTC, indicating that over half of the circulating network is underwater, a rare crossover that may signal a market bottom and influence long-term investor decisions.
- Increased Selling Pressure on Ethereum: Analytics firm CryptoQuant highlighted a negative Coinbase Premium Index for Ethereum, suggesting high selling pressure from U.S. institutional investors, while negative funding rates on Binance indicate a growing bearish sentiment among leveraged traders, potentially impacting Ethereum's short-term performance.
- Tech Sector Rally: Driven by investor anticipation of a strong upcoming earnings season, technology stocks, particularly chipmakers, propelled the Nasdaq 100 index up 1.68%, reaching a one-week high, reflecting optimism surrounding the AI investment boom.
- Labor Market Resilience: The May JOLTS job openings unexpectedly rose by 9,000 to a two-year high of 7.594 million, surpassing expectations of 7.296 million, indicating a robust U.S. labor market that could influence Federal Reserve policy decisions.
- Positive Global Economic Signals: China's June manufacturing PMI increased to 50.3, exceeding expectations of 50.1, suggesting potential for global economic recovery and bolstering market confidence in future growth prospects.
- Oil Price Volatility and Geopolitics: WTI crude oil prices fell over 1% amid escalating tensions in the Middle East, with markets closely monitoring U.S.-Iran negotiations, as energy supply levels return to pre-war norms, potentially impacting future oil price trends.
- Business Model Shift: Strategy has announced a revamp of its business model, incorporating a U.S. dollar reserve policy and a Bitcoin monetization program to tackle challenges posed by declining Bitcoin prices, which is expected to positively impact the company's future financial stability.
- Bitcoin Holdings: Currently, Strategy holds about 3% of all circulating Bitcoin, and despite market volatility, the company plans to sell Bitcoin to raise up to $1.25 billion to support its new business strategy, demonstrating its flexible capital management capabilities.
- Stock Buyback Plan: The company intends to repurchase up to $1 billion of preferred and common stock to reduce annual dividend expenses, a move that not only helps enhance shareholder value but may also improve the company's market performance and the quality of its securities.
- Financial Buffer: With approximately $2.55 billion in U.S. dollar reserves, selling Bitcoin could increase reserves to $3.8 billion, covering over two years of projected preferred dividends and interest expenses, thereby strengthening the company's financial security.
- Bitcoin Sale Plan: Strategy plans to sell up to $1.25 billion in Bitcoin to bolster its reserves, which would increase total reserves to $3.8 billion, sufficient to cover over two years of preferred dividends and interest expenses, thereby providing greater flexibility for future capital management.
- Stock Buyback Strategy: The company also intends to repurchase up to $1 billion in preferred stock and $1 billion in common stock to reduce annual dividend expenses, a move aimed at enhancing shareholder value and improving financial performance, reflecting its focus on capital management.
- New Business Model Framework: Strategy's new framework includes a U.S. dollar reserve policy, revised preferred stock policy, digital credit securities repurchase program, common stock repurchase program, and Bitcoin monetization program, marking a shift from one-way capital issuance to active capital management to strengthen market standing.
- Declining Market Performance: With Bitcoin prices remaining low, Strategy's stock has fallen nearly 45% this year, prompting the company to reassess its investment strategy; despite its pioneering position in the Bitcoin market, the current market environment poses challenges for future growth.










