MARA Holdings higher by 10% after selling $1.1 billion in bitcoin to fund debt buyback

Markets Share Share this article Copy link X icon X (Twitter) LinkedIn Facebook Email MARA Holdings higher by 10% after selling $1.1 billion in bitcoin to fund debt buyback The strategic move cuts debt, reduces dilution risk, and strengthens the balance sheet for expansion into AI and energy infrastructure, said the company. By James Van Straten , AI Boost | Edited by Stephen Alpher Mar 26, 2026, 12:23 p.m. Make us preferred on Google What to know : MARA Holdings (MARA) repurchased approximately $1.0 billion of convertible notes at about a 9% discount, capturing roughly $88 million in value, according to the company. The sale of 15,133 bitcoin funded the transaction, with remaining proceeds expected to enhance liquidity and support broader strategic initiatives. MARA shares were higher by 10% in premarket trading on Thursday. MARA Holdings (MARA) sold 15,133 bitcoin for approximately $1.1 billion between March 4 and March 25 to fund a major balance sheet overhaul. The company is using the proceeds to repurchase roughly $1.0 billion of its 0.00% convertible senior notes due 2030 and 2031 at a discount. In total, MARA will buy back $367.5 million of its 2030 notes for $322.9 million and $633.4 million of its 2031 notes for $589.9 million. The discounted purchases, about 9% below par, will generate approximately $88.1 million in value, said the company. MARA was higher by 10% in premarket trading. Beyond the immediate savings, the transaction materially reshapes MARA’s capital structure. The repurchases will reduce its convertible debt by around 30%, cutting total outstanding convertible notes from about $3.3 billion to $2.3 billion. This also reduces the risk of future shareholder dilution associated with conversions. “Our decision to sell a portion of our bitcoin holdings reflects a strategic capital allocation move designed to strengthen our balance sheet and position the company for long-term growth," said CEO Fred Thiel. MARA now holds 38,689 BTC following the sale. Bitcoin News AI Disclaimer: Parts of this article were generated with the assistance from AI tools and reviewed by our editorial team to ensure accuracy and adherence to our standards . For more information, see CoinDesk's full AI Policy . More For You Crypto slides as oil spike, macro jitters trigger derivatives unwind By Oliver Knight , Omkar Godbole | Edited by Sheldon Reback 1 hour ago Bitcoin dropped below $70,000 and ether fell toward $2,000 as rising oil prices, falling equities and weak liquidity sparked risk-off flows and pressured altcoins. What to know : Oil climbed back above $100 and weaker equities and gold signaled risk aversion, weighing on major cryptocurrencies and altcoins alike. Futures open interest fell 3.5% to $108 billion, funding rates turned negative, and traders increased short positioning as BTC broke below $70,000. AI and DeFi tokens led losses amid thin... Read full story Latest Crypto News U.S. midterms pack major digital assets wallop as Stand With Crypto preps strategy 24 minutes ago Brazil passes law turning seized crypto into public-security war chest 27 minutes ago Coinbase, Fannie Mae bring crypto-backed mortgages to homebuyers 43 minutes ago Everyone's calling bitcoin resilient, may be it's just complacent 1 hour ago Crypto slides as oil spike, macro jitters trigger derivatives unwind 1 hour ago Bitcoin has traded in a tight range for nearly 50 days – but this is not a "bear flag" 2 hours ago Top Stories Market structure bill compromise draws wide-ranging reaction from fractured crypto crowd 13 hours ago Some bitcoin indicators are still going the wrong way, challenging the bullish $70,000 holdout story 6 hours ago U.S. lawmakers dig into tokenizing securities as Trump ties muddy waters 18 hours ago Solana bets on AI agents: Foundation says network is becoming core infrastructure for ‘agentic’ internet 19 hours ago Ethereum Foundation prepares for quantum threat with new cryptography roadmap 20 hours ago Circle selloff may be overdone as crypto bill weakens Coinbase edge, say analysts 20 hours ago