Bitcoin Treasuries and New Era in DeFi

Cryptocurrency News

6 min read time

|Updated: 2026-09-15

As of September 15, the crypto market has Bitcoin trading at around $78,200, Ethereum near $2,515 and XRP around $1.42, while corporate Bitcoin treasuries, crypto taxation and DeFi governance are among the day’s key developments. Strive increased its Bitcoin holdings to 25,000 BTC with its latest purchase, a petition seeking another two-year delay to South Korea’s planned crypto gains tax reached the threshold required for legislative review, and a new governance proposal was published to gradually wind down the Balancer DeFi protocol.

Market Perspective: Corporate Treasuries, Tax Policy and DeFi Governance Diverge

Today’s three developments are taking place across different parts of the crypto ecosystem. Strive’s Bitcoin acquisition is a completed corporate balance-sheet transaction, while the South Korean tax petition has not yet changed the country’s legislative timetable. At Balancer, the published document represents a governance proposal for token holders to consider rather than a winddown decision already in force.

This distinction matters when interpreting their broader significance. A single company increasing its Bitcoin reserves does not by itself represent overall institutional demand, just as a petition reaching the required signature threshold does not mean a tax schedule has changed. Governance proposals in DeFi protocols also should not be treated as final decisions before the voting process is completed.

Today’s developments therefore relate less to short-term price movements and more to corporate Bitcoin treasury strategies, national approaches to digital asset taxation and decision-making mechanisms within decentralized protocols.

Strive Increases Bitcoin Holdings to 25,000 BTC

Strive added 469 Bitcoin for approximately $36.6 million during its latest purchasing period. The average acquisition price was just under $78,000 per bitcoin, bringing the company’s total holdings to exactly 25,000 BTC. At current prices, the reserve is worth approximately $1.95 billion.

According to the company, all of the capital used for the latest acquisition was raised through sales of its perpetual preferred stock, traded under the SATA ticker. SATA has also recently surpassed $1 billion in total notional value. In the previous week, Strive purchased 1,375 BTC for approximately $109 million.

The financing structure shows that the Bitcoin acquisition forms part of the company’s broader balance-sheet and capital strategy rather than representing a short-term market trade. As Strive increases its Bitcoin reserves, it is also expanding the equity and liability structure used to finance those holdings.

However, Strive reaching 25,000 BTC does not mean institutional Bitcoin demand as a whole is moving in the same direction. A broader assessment requires the treasury activity and financing structures of publicly traded companies to be considered alongside other institutional capital flows.

South Korean Crypto Tax Delay Petition Passes 50,000 Signatures

A South Korean petition seeking to postpone the introduction of the country’s planned crypto gains tax by another two years has reached the 50,000 verified signature threshold. Under the country’s electronic petition system, crossing that threshold sends the proposal to the relevant National Assembly committee for formal legislative review.

Under the existing timetable, South Korea plans to introduce an effective 22% tax on annual digital asset gains above 2.5 million won from January 1, 2027. The rate consists of a 20% base tax plus a 2% local tax and covers certain gains generated through the sale, transfer and lending of crypto assets.

The petition calls for the implementation date to be moved to 2029. However, crossing the 50,000-signature threshold does not automatically change the tax schedule; it only triggers formal parliamentary consideration. The government currently intends to maintain the January 1, 2027 start date, with more detailed tax standards expected to be published by the end of the year.

The development therefore should not be described as South Korea delaying its crypto tax again. At this stage, a petition requesting a delay has simply passed the threshold required for legislative review.

Also see. Crypto regulating countries

Balancer Proposes Gradual Winddown of the Protocol

A new governance proposal for DeFi protocol Balancer outlines an orderly winddown and the eventual distribution of remaining treasury assets to BAL holders under specified conditions. Under the proposal, new business development would end and the protocol would gradually transition toward an infrastructure focused on allowing users to withdraw assets.

The plan proposes moving pools that can be paused into withdrawal-only mode on October 30, 2026, while setting protocol fees to zero where possible for pools that cannot be paused. Balancer’s managed treasury is estimated to contain at least $9 million at current token prices. The proposal also establishes a dedicated budget for the winddown process.

If approved, treasury distributions are expected to begin in 2027. The proposal includes a two-stage mechanism under which BAL holders could burn their tokens to receive a proportional share of eligible treasury assets. However, none of this timetable is final.

The Snapshot governance vote is scheduled for September 25–29. It would therefore be inaccurate to state that Balancer has already shut down. A plan to wind down the protocol has been published, but the governance process must first be completed before the proposed measures can be implemented.

CoinTR Insight

Today’s three developments demonstrate how capital management, regulation and decentralized governance operate through different mechanisms across the crypto ecosystem. Strive’s Bitcoin reserve is shaped by corporate balance-sheet and financing decisions, while the outcome of South Korea’s tax debate depends on the legislative process. At Balancer, the future of the protocol will be considered through token-based governance.

These differences matter when interpreting crypto developments. A corporate Bitcoin purchase should not be treated as equivalent to overall market demand, a petition entering parliamentary review is not the same as legislation entering force, and a DeFi governance proposal is not equivalent to a finalized protocol change.

While CoinTR’s USDT/TRY pair provides a way to follow market activity between the Turkish lira and USDT, the structure of the platform used for crypto transactions is another area that requires consideration. When assessing reliable crypto exchanges, regulatory compliance, security infrastructure, liquidity, transparency and processes designed to protect user assets should be considered together.

Forward-Looking Takeaway

Strive’s Bitcoin financing: The company financed its latest 469 BTC acquisition entirely through capital raised via SATA. Future balance-sheet developments will depend not only on the amount of Bitcoin acquired but also on changes to the financing structure used for those purchases.
South Korea’s tax timetable: The 50,000 signatures have moved the petition into formal parliamentary review, but the January 1, 2027 implementation date has not changed. The committee review and detailed tax standards expected later this year will provide more clarity on the timetable.
Balancer governance vote: The winddown has not yet been approved. The outcome of the vote scheduled for September 25–29 will determine whether the protocol moves toward withdrawal-only operations and whether the proposed treasury distribution process proceeds.

2026-09-15

Legal Notice

The information, comments, and evaluations contained in this content do not constitute investment advice. This content is not intended to be prescriptive in any way and is intended to provide general information. It does not constitute investment advice. CoinTR cannot be held responsible for any transactions made based on this information or any losses that may arise.

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