Good Morning, Asia. Here's what's making news in the markets:Welcome to Asia Morning Briefing, a daily summary of top stories during U.S. hours and an overview of market moves and analysis. For a detailed overview of U.S. markets, see CoinDesk's Crypto Daybook Americas.Digital Asset Treasury (DATs) companies – firms that put bitcoin on the balance sheet – were the talk of the town during BTC Asia in Hong Kong.But corporate adoption of Bitcoin can be a double-edged sword, says Alessio Quaglini, CEO and Co-Founder of crypto custodian Hex Trust. While treasury holdings put crypto on the balance sheets of public companies, he warns that leveraged strategies could turn adoption into a source of instability.“It’s great for the adoption. It’s great because you have basically indirect bitcoin access to billions of people investing in local stock exchanges and Nasdaq,” Quaglini told CoinDesk during a recent interview on the sidelines of BTC Asia in Hong Kong.But he drew a sharp line between healthy diversification and financial engineering.“If this listing company exists for the sole purpose of holding crypto, well then, it’s a hedge fund that is publicly traded. It’s a financial engineering kind of exercise,” he continued.Quaglini, like many others in the industry, is concerned about excessive levels of leverage. A recent report from Galaxy illustrates the risk, showing loan volumes at their highest since 2022 alongside a $1 billion liquidation wave, while Korean regulators have already stepped in to freeze new lending products as they grow concerned about leverage straining markets.“If these companies deploy leverage, and they issue debt to buy Bitcoin with strong triggers, then it’s a big issue,” Quaglini said. In public markets, debt covenants are transparent, meaning traders can anticipate forced selling. “You might be in the situation of the prisoner dilemma… You can have this kind of spiral effect that brings more volatility to the industry.”Even so, Quaglini sees today’s treasury players as a first step.“The next step is that you have real companies that do have a lot of operating cash flow, and they’re sitting on huge amounts of cash, like Apple, Google, etc.,” he said. If those firms start allocating reserves into BTC, the shift would be “extremely positive.”In the end, the real test of the viability of DATs isn’t whether small firms turn themselves into bitcoin proxies, but whether the world’s largest corporates are willing to put their cash piles on-chain.Market MovementBTC: Bitcoin is in the green changing hands above $109K. The world's largest digital asset is stabilizing after August saw a rare rotation out of BTC spot ETFs into ETH funds, which has weighed on relative BTC demand in recent weeks. Broader macro remains supportive but price action is still consolidating beneath mid‑August highsETH: Ether is trading at $4,298. Market participants are easing on profit‑taking after notching record levels late last month and bumping into resistance near the high‑$4,000s. The August ETF flow trend favored ETH, but near‑term consolidation dominates after the run‑upGold: Gold is holding near a four‑month high on mounting bets for a September Fed rate cut and a softer U.S. dollar, both of which typically support bullionNikkei 225: Asia-Pacific markets mostly rose as investors weighed tariff uncertainty and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit, with Japan’s Nikkei 225 up 0.31% after a U.S. court ruled most of Trump’s global tariffs illegal.Elsewhere in Crypto:Gavin Newsom Wants to Launch a Meme Coin Just to Troll Trump (Decrypt)South Korea’s FSC chief nominee faces backlash after calling crypto valueless (The Block)Trump Family Share of World Liberty Crypto Grows to $6 Billion (Decrypt)Good Morning, Asia. Here's what's making news in the markets:Welcome to Asia Morning Briefing, a daily summary of top stories during U.S. hours and an overview of market moves and analysis. For a detailed overview of U.S. markets, see CoinDesk's Crypto Daybook Americas.Digital Asset Treasury (DATs) companies – firms that put bitcoin on the balance sheet – were the talk of the town during BTC Asia in Hong Kong.But corporate adoption of Bitcoin can be a double-edged sword, says Alessio Quaglini, CEO and Co-Founder of crypto custodian Hex Trust. While treasury holdings put crypto on the balance sheets of public companies, he warns that leveraged strategies could turn adoption into a source of instability.“It’s great for the adoption. It’s great because you have basically indirect bitcoin access to billions of people investing in local stock exchanges and Nasdaq,” Quaglini told CoinDesk during a recent interview on the sidelines of BTC Asia in Hong Kong.But he drew a sharp line between healthy diversification and financial engineering.“If this listing company exists for the sole purpose of holding crypto, well then, it’s a hedge fund that is publicly traded. It’s a financial engineering kind of exercise,” he continued.Quaglini, like many others in the industry, is concerned about excessive levels of leverage. A recent report from Galaxy illustrates the risk, showing loan volumes at their highest since 2022 alongside a $1 billion liquidation wave, while Korean regulators have already stepped in to freeze new lending products as they grow concerned about leverage straining markets.“If these companies deploy leverage, and they issue debt to buy Bitcoin with strong triggers, then it’s a big issue,” Quaglini said. In public markets, debt covenants are transparent, meaning traders can anticipate forced selling. “You might be in the situation of the prisoner dilemma… You can have this kind of spiral effect that brings more volatility to the industry.”Even so, Quaglini sees today’s treasury players as a first step.“The next step is that you have real companies that do have a lot of operating cash flow, and they’re sitting on huge amounts of cash, like Apple, Google, etc.,” he said. If those firms start allocating reserves into BTC, the shift would be “extremely positive.”In the end, the real test of the viability of DATs isn’t whether small firms turn themselves into bitcoin proxies, but whether the world’s largest corporates are willing to put their cash piles on-chain.Market MovementBTC: Bitcoin is in the green changing hands above $109K. The world's largest digital asset is stabilizing after August saw a rare rotation out of BTC spot ETFs into ETH funds, which has weighed on relative BTC demand in recent weeks. Broader macro remains supportive but price action is still consolidating beneath mid‑August highsETH: Ether is trading at $4,298. Market participants are easing on profit‑taking after notching record levels late last month and bumping into resistance near the high‑$4,000s. The August ETF flow trend favored ETH, but near‑term consolidation dominates after the run‑upGold: Gold is holding near a four‑month high on mounting bets for a September Fed rate cut and a softer U.S. dollar, both of which typically support bullionNikkei 225: Asia-Pacific markets mostly rose as investors weighed tariff uncertainty and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit, with Japan’s Nikkei 225 up 0.31% after a U.S. court ruled most of Trump’s global tariffs illegal.Elsewhere in Crypto:Gavin Newsom Wants to Launch a Meme Coin Just to Troll Trump (Decrypt)South Korea’s FSC chief nominee faces backlash after calling crypto valueless (The Block)Trump Family Share of World Liberty Crypto Grows to $6 Billion (Decrypt)

Asia Morning Briefing: Hex Trust CEO Sees Both Promise and Peril in Bitcoin Treasury Firms

4 min read

Good Morning, Asia. Here's what's making news in the markets:

Welcome to Asia Morning Briefing, a daily summary of top stories during U.S. hours and an overview of market moves and analysis. For a detailed overview of U.S. markets, see CoinDesk's Crypto Daybook Americas.

Digital Asset Treasury (DATs) companies – firms that put bitcoin on the balance sheet – were the talk of the town during BTC Asia in Hong Kong.

But corporate adoption of Bitcoin can be a double-edged sword, says Alessio Quaglini, CEO and Co-Founder of crypto custodian Hex Trust. While treasury holdings put crypto on the balance sheets of public companies, he warns that leveraged strategies could turn adoption into a source of instability.

“It’s great for the adoption. It’s great because you have basically indirect bitcoin access to billions of people investing in local stock exchanges and Nasdaq,” Quaglini told CoinDesk during a recent interview on the sidelines of BTC Asia in Hong Kong.

But he drew a sharp line between healthy diversification and financial engineering.

“If this listing company exists for the sole purpose of holding crypto, well then, it’s a hedge fund that is publicly traded. It’s a financial engineering kind of exercise,” he continued.

Quaglini, like many others in the industry, is concerned about excessive levels of leverage. A recent report from Galaxy illustrates the risk, showing loan volumes at their highest since 2022 alongside a $1 billion liquidation wave, while Korean regulators have already stepped in to freeze new lending products as they grow concerned about leverage straining markets.

“If these companies deploy leverage, and they issue debt to buy Bitcoin with strong triggers, then it’s a big issue,” Quaglini said. In public markets, debt covenants are transparent, meaning traders can anticipate forced selling. “You might be in the situation of the prisoner dilemma… You can have this kind of spiral effect that brings more volatility to the industry.”

Even so, Quaglini sees today’s treasury players as a first step.

“The next step is that you have real companies that do have a lot of operating cash flow, and they’re sitting on huge amounts of cash, like Apple, Google, etc.,” he said. If those firms start allocating reserves into BTC, the shift would be “extremely positive.”

In the end, the real test of the viability of DATs isn’t whether small firms turn themselves into bitcoin proxies, but whether the world’s largest corporates are willing to put their cash piles on-chain.

Market Movement

BTC: Bitcoin is in the green changing hands above $109K. The world's largest digital asset is stabilizing after August saw a rare rotation out of BTC spot ETFs into ETH funds, which has weighed on relative BTC demand in recent weeks. Broader macro remains supportive but price action is still consolidating beneath mid‑August highs

ETH: Ether is trading at $4,298. Market participants are easing on profit‑taking after notching record levels late last month and bumping into resistance near the high‑$4,000s. The August ETF flow trend favored ETH, but near‑term consolidation dominates after the run‑up

Gold: Gold is holding near a four‑month high on mounting bets for a September Fed rate cut and a softer U.S. dollar, both of which typically support bullion

Nikkei 225: Asia-Pacific markets mostly rose as investors weighed tariff uncertainty and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit, with Japan’s Nikkei 225 up 0.31% after a U.S. court ruled most of Trump’s global tariffs illegal.

Elsewhere in Crypto:

  • Gavin Newsom Wants to Launch a Meme Coin Just to Troll Trump (Decrypt)
  • South Korea’s FSC chief nominee faces backlash after calling crypto valueless (The Block)
  • Trump Family Share of World Liberty Crypto Grows to $6 Billion (Decrypt)

Market Opportunity
NEAR Logo
NEAR Price(NEAR)
$0.999
$0.999$0.999
-5.84%
USD
NEAR (NEAR) Live Price Chart
Disclaimer: The articles reposted on this site are sourced from public platforms and are provided for informational purposes only. They do not necessarily reflect the views of MEXC. All rights remain with the original authors. If you believe any content infringes on third-party rights, please contact [email protected] for removal. MEXC makes no guarantees regarding the accuracy, completeness, or timeliness of the content and is not responsible for any actions taken based on the information provided. The content does not constitute financial, legal, or other professional advice, nor should it be considered a recommendation or endorsement by MEXC.

You May Also Like

‘KISS’ Rock Star Gene Simmons Believes You Must Hold Bitcoin

‘KISS’ Rock Star Gene Simmons Believes You Must Hold Bitcoin

The post ‘KISS’ Rock Star Gene Simmons Believes You Must Hold Bitcoin appeared on BitcoinEthereumNews.com. Simmons recommends holding Bitcoin Bitcoin drawdown unfair
Share
BitcoinEthereumNews2026/02/06 02:10
Trump donor's private jet is now being used for deportations

Trump donor's private jet is now being used for deportations

A new investigation from The Guardian published Thursday has revealed that a friend and donor of President Donald Trump has been using his private jet for deportations
Share
Rawstory2026/02/06 02:34
Foreigner’s Lou Gramm Revisits The Band’s Classic ‘4’ Album, Now Reissued

Foreigner’s Lou Gramm Revisits The Band’s Classic ‘4’ Album, Now Reissued

The post Foreigner’s Lou Gramm Revisits The Band’s Classic ‘4’ Album, Now Reissued appeared on BitcoinEthereumNews.com. American-based rock band Foreigner performs onstage at the Rosemont Horizon, Rosemont, Illinois, November 8, 1981. Pictured are, from left, Mick Jones, on guitar, and vocalist Lou Gramm. (Photo by Paul Natkin/Getty Images) Getty Images Singer Lou Gramm has a vivid memory of recording the ballad “Waiting for a Girl Like You” at New York City’s Electric Lady Studio for his band Foreigner more than 40 years ago. Gramm was adding his vocals for the track in the control room on the other side of the glass when he noticed a beautiful woman walking through the door. “She sits on the sofa in front of the board,” he says. “She looked at me while I was singing. And every now and then, she had a little smile on her face. I’m not sure what that was, but it was driving me crazy. “And at the end of the song, when I’m singing the ad-libs and stuff like that, she gets up,” he continues. “She gives me a little smile and walks out of the room. And when the song ended, I would look up every now and then to see where Mick [Jones] and Mutt [Lange] were, and they were pushing buttons and turning knobs. They were not aware that she was even in the room. So when the song ended, I said, ‘Guys, who was that woman who walked in? She was beautiful.’ And they looked at each other, and they went, ‘What are you talking about? We didn’t see anything.’ But you know what? I think they put her up to it. Doesn’t that sound more like them?” “Waiting for a Girl Like You” became a massive hit in 1981 for Foreigner off their album 4, which peaked at number one on the Billboard chart for 10 weeks and…
Share
BitcoinEthereumNews2025/09/18 01:26