Alpha-Centric ESG Research

Kyle Rudden

This Insight is about a trainwreck, the head-on collision of two megatrends in investing: ESG, and cryptocurrencies. "Trainwreck," because the raging cryptocurrency/ESG debate has spiraled out of control and made absolute lunatics out of everyone, environmentalists and crypto-zealots alike.Cryptocurrency's environmental impact is not a recent epiphany. Back in 2009, Hal Finney (creator of Bitcoin's proof-of-work system, and even rumored to be the elusive Satoshi Nakamoto) tweeted, "Thinking about how to reduce CO2 emissions from widespread Bitcoin implementation."Prescient, but it didn't elicit a reaction because in 2009 few investors had even heard of Bitcoin and ESG. In 2021, however, Elon Musk's words are able to spark a firestorm because Bitcoin and ESG are now deeply ingrained in the collective investor psyche, and the zeitgeist.And Elon Musk's words sure did spark a firestorm.With this report, I hope to provide what is entirely absent in that firestorm – i.e., a comprehensive, rational, and balanced view of the multifaceted cryptocurrency/ESG relationships. Environmental, Social, and Governance. Including some issues that no one is talking about, but should be.

This Insight is about a trainwreck, the head-on collision of two megatrends in investing: ESG, and cryptocurrencies. "Trainwreck," because the raging cryptocurrency/ESG debate has spiraled out of control and made absolute lunatics out of everyone, environmentalists and crypto-zealots alike.Cryptocurrency's environmental impact is not a recent epiphany. Back in 2009, Hal Finney (creator of Bitcoin's proof-of-work system, and even rumored to be the elusive Satoshi Nakamoto) tweeted, "Thinking about how to reduce CO2 emissions from widespread Bitcoin implementation."Prescient, but it didn't elicit a reaction because in 2009 few investors had even heard of Bitcoin and ESG. In 2021, however, Elon Musk's words are able to spark a firestorm because Bitcoin and ESG are now deeply ingrained in the collective investor psyche, and the zeitgeist.And Elon Musk's words sure did spark a firestorm.With this report, I hope to provide what is entirely absent in that firestorm – i.e., a comprehensive, rational, and balanced view of the multifaceted cryptocurrency/ESG relationships. Environmental, Social, and Governance. Including some issues that no one is talking about, but should be.

ESG and Bitcoin: The Truth Lies Somewhere Between Benign and Boiling Off Oceans

Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events, Quiddity Advisors

Travis Lundy

Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events

Quiddity Advisors

Event-Driven

<ul>
<li>In mid-September, global index provider M _ _ _ announced that they were conducting an index consultation on Digital Asset Treasury Cos. I wrote about it <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/quiddity-index-index-consultation-on-digital-asset-treasury-cos-the-tutes-are-leaving" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.</li>
<li>My recommended short at the time is down 30%, despite announcing a large buyback program. Others have lost significant premium vs underlying digital assets. </li>
<li>The same index provider expanded their list of affected names on 29 Oct. And a DIFFERENT Index provider this week added DATCOs to a US Advisory Panel Meeting Agenda Wednesday.</li>
</ul>


In mid-September, global index provider M _ _ _ announced that they were conducting an index consultation on Digital Asset Treasury Cos. I wrote about it here.
My recommended short at the time is down 30%, despite announcing a large buyback program. Others have lost significant premium vs underlying digital assets. 
The same index provider expanded their list of affected names on 29 Oct. And a DIFFERENT Index provider this week added DATCOs to a US Advisory Panel Meeting Agenda Wednesday.


Index Consultation on DATCos Means MORE Selling Likely, and Another Index Questionable

<ul>
<li>Global Index Provider M _ _ _ announced an index consultation on Digital Asset Treausry Companies on 27 August. Friday, they extended til year-end, but gave a clear proposal update. </li>
<li>They propose to exclude companies where digital asset holdings represent &gt;50% of assets. They seek input. They also seek input on whether a company self-defines as a DAT...</li>
<li>And also look at stated reasons for capital raising. A preliminary list suggests <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/strategy-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:14717:1" rel="noopener">Strategy (MSTR US)</a>  and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/metaplanet-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:2130:1" rel="noopener">Metaplanet (3350 JP)</a> are obvious targets. Others will be too. </li>
</ul>


Global Index Provider M _ _ _ announced an index consultation on Digital Asset Treausry Companies on 27 August. Friday, they extended til year-end, but gave a clear proposal update. 
They propose to exclude companies where digital asset holdings represent &gt;50% of assets. They seek input. They also seek input on whether a company self-defines as a DAT...
And also look at stated reasons for capital raising. A preliminary list suggests Strategy (MSTR US)  and Metaplanet (3350 JP) are obvious targets. Others will be too. 


[Quiddity Index] Index Consultation Anncmt Suggests The Big M Will Delete 1 LargeCap, 5 Small.

Index Rebalance

<ul>
<li>On 27 August, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/metaplanet-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:2130:1" rel="noopener">Metaplanet (3350 JP)</a> announced a large overseas offering in line with a pause in the 20th Warrant Issuance program it had outstanding. The goal? Buy more bitcoin.</li>
<li>Shares had been ¥890 on the 27th, trading higher through the 29th. The offering priced at ¥553. Down 38%. Ouch. But it meant index upweight due to higher share count.</li>
<li>Friday post-close, global index provider M _ _ _ announced a consultation on digital asset treasury companies, suspending the upweight for Metaplanet. Watch out MSTR!</li>
</ul>


On 27 August, Metaplanet (3350 JP) announced a large overseas offering in line with a pause in the 20th Warrant Issuance program it had outstanding. The goal? Buy more bitcoin.
Shares had been ¥890 on the 27th, trading higher through the 29th. The offering priced at ¥553. Down 38%. Ouch. But it meant index upweight due to higher share count.
Friday post-close, global index provider M _ _ _ announced a consultation on digital asset treasury companies, suspending the upweight for Metaplanet. Watch out MSTR!


[Quiddity Index] Index Consultation on Digital Asset Treasury Cos. The 'Tutes Are Leaving?

Independent research on the U.S. markets, Baptista Research

Baptista Research

Independent research on the U.S. markets

Baptista Research is an independent financial research house focused on the U.S. markets. We provide equity research as well as credit research reports on the top-listed U.S. companies with most of our focus on technology, consumer goods and services, automobiles, industrials, oil and gas, pharma, and healthcare. Our research has served more than 3000 institutional investors including mutual funds, hedge funds, banks, family offices, and various buy-side firms. We operate a research subscription service where institutions, as well as retail investors, can have priority access to all our research. We also have a wide distribution of our research reports across some of the top global financial platforms. Apart from equity research and credit research, we also provide advisory services with respect to mergers & acquisitions (M&A), private equity/ venture capital fundraising, valuation reports, and investment management services for corporates.
Baptista Research is owned and managed by Ishan Majumdar, an ex-Venture Capitalist/ Investment Banker, a Chartered Accountant, and a Masters’ degree holder in Management from HEC Paris. Ishan has nearly a decade of experience in Mergers and Acquisitions, Leveraged Buyouts (LBOs), Venture Capital Investing, Corporate Strategy, and Valuation in front-office roles at the likes of BNP Paribas CIB, Credit Agricole CIB, Groupe Danone, and TIW Private Equity. He has worked on and closed multiple acquisition deals, leveraged buyouts, and start-up investment transactions.

Equity Bottom-Up

Marathon Digital Holdings / Equity Bottom-Up

<ul><li>MARA Holdings, a leading enterprise in the Bitcoin mining industry, delivered record-breaking performance metrics for its Q2 2025 earnings.</li><li>Despite challenges in the volatile cryptocurrency landscape, the company demonstrated considerable growth and strategic fortifications in both its Bitcoin holdings and operational capacities.</li><li>A key highlight from the earnings call was Marathon's impressive financial performance this quarter.</li></ul>

MARA Holdings, a leading enterprise in the Bitcoin mining industry, delivered record-breaking performance metrics for its Q2 2025 earnings.Despite challenges in the volatile cryptocurrency landscape, the company demonstrated considerable growth and strategic fortifications in both its Bitcoin holdings and operational capacities.A key highlight from the earnings call was Marathon's impressive financial performance this quarter.

Marathon Digital Taps 3 Gigawatts of Energy—Can Its Latest Expansion Efforts Help Up Its AI & Crypto Game?

United States

Marathon Digital Holdings, Inc. operates as a digital asset technology company. The Company mines cryptocurrencies, with a focuses on the blockchain ecosystem and the generation of digital assets. Marathon Digital Holdings serves customers worldwide.

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Marathon Digital Holdings (MARA US)

ESG and Bitcoin: The Truth Lies Somewhere Between Benign and Boiling Off Oceans

Elon sparked a firestorm over Bitcoin's climate impacts. Problem is, it's all "greenwashing" by crypto-zealots or "brownwashing" by...

Kyle Rudden

Index Consultation on DATCos Means MORE Selling Likely, and Another Index Questionable

Global Index Provider M updated its list of Digital Asset Treasury Cos at the end of October. Index constituents on that list are down. They could...

Travis Lundy

[Quiddity Index] Index Consultation Anncmt Suggests The Big M Will Delete 1 LargeCap, 5 Small.

Global Index Provider M* announced a Digital Asset Treasury Company consultation in late August. Friday they extended the consultation. I expect it...

Travis Lundy

[Quiddity Index] Index Consultation on Digital Asset Treasury Cos. The 'Tutes Are Leaving?

Metaplanet issued stock. It priced. Normally it goes into indices. Global Index Provider M _ _ _ has decided to do a consultation instead. That's...

Travis Lundy

Marathon Digital Taps 3 Gigawatts of Energy—Can Its Latest Expansion Efforts Help Up Its AI & Crypto Game?

MARA Holdings, a leading enterprise in the Bitcoin mining industry, delivered record-breaking performance metrics for its Q2 2025...

Baptista Research

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