US-based crypto mining company MARA Holdings announced that it has established a new foundation in order to gain a stronger position in the Bitcoin ecosystem. The company announced this step at the Bitcoin 2026 conference held in Las Vegas. The establishment of the foundation reflects both the company’s approach to long-term network security and the financial and operational transformation of its operations. It seems that MARA Holdings has recently moved away from its mining role towards a more comprehensive mission that contributes to the overall functioning of the network.
MARA Foundation: Focus on network security, education and policy support
The established MARA Foundation will focus on areas such as conducting research on the Bitcoin protocol, providing support to open source development projects and disseminating self-custody infrastructures. In addition, the foundation will carry out global educational activities on the use of Bitcoin and activities supporting legal regulations regarding the sector. Company officials state that this initiative is not only limited to traditional mining activities, but is also critical for the sustainability of the ecosystem.
MARA Foundation allocated a budget of $100,000 to be distributed by the votes of the community at its launch. Voting will continue until April 29, both online and at the company’s booth at the event. There are three different community organizations that are candidates to benefit from this budget: SateNet, 256 Foundation and Libreria de Satoshi. These institutions focus on networking, mining software and technical training, respectively.
Fred Thiel, the company’s chairman and CEO, points out that MARA Holdings’ role in the security of the Bitcoin network is not limited to operational mining only. Thiel emphasized that the foundation organization aims to contribute to the longevity and durability of the network rather than short-term economic interests.
According to Fred Thiel, the established foundation aims to investigate the risks that Bitcoin may face in the future through “systematic studies for the long-term health of the network”; In this context, precautions against quantum technologies, which are considered among the new generation threats, stand out.
Period of financial restructuring and new investments
Just prior to the establishment of the foundation, MARA Holdings made a number of important financial and operational decisions. The company, which sold 15,133 Bitcoins worth approximately $1.1 billion in March, bought back a total of $1 billion worth of convertible bonds due in 2030 and 2031 at a discount. Thus, the company’s bond debt was reduced by around 30 percent.
Recently, MARA Holdings also reviewed its workforce and reduced staff by approximately 15 percent. In addition, the company has taken growth steps in data centers and artificial intelligence-based mining infrastructure. While MARA purchased the majority of French energy giant EDF’s data center company Exaion, it will transform 1 gigawatt mining capacity into artificial intelligence processing with an agreement with Starwood.
Market impact and industry-wide changes
These structural moves announced by MARA Holdings were also reflected in the company’s shares on the stock exchange. At last close, MARA Holdings stock remained flat at $11.18. Although the stock rose as high as $11.60 in intraday trading, it then tested below $11.20 and fluctuated in a narrow band near the close.
In early trading, the stock was traded at $ 10.94 and there was a 2.15 percent withdrawal. Based on the general trend in the industry, publicly traded mining companies have been seen selling some of their Bitcoin holdings. Companies such as Cipher Digital and Bitdeer have also taken similar steps by adjusting their business models.
Despite all these developments, MARA Holdings continues to operate one of the largest, privately held mining fleets among publicly traded companies. The company reportedly provides close to 5 percent of the total hashing power of the Bitcoin network, with a capacity of approximately 66.45 EH/s.
