Key Takeaways

  • Tom Lee's Bitmine is offering preferred shares with a 9.5% dividend yield, according to Decrypt.
  • The aim is to raise capital to buy Ethereum.
  • Preferred shares pay a fixed dividend and rank ahead of common stock for payouts.
  • It is an example of using equity markets to fund a crypto treasury strategy.

Bitmine, associated with market commentator Tom Lee, is offering preferred shares with a 9.5% dividend yield to fund purchases of Ethereum, according to Decrypt.

What preferred shares are

Preferred shares are a type of stock that typically pays a fixed dividend and sits ahead of common shares when a company distributes payouts. Offering a high yield can attract investors looking for income, while giving the company cash to deploy.

Funding a crypto strategy

Using a share sale to accumulate Ethereum is a notable twist on the treasury-company model. It ties the firm's obligations to investors to the performance of a volatile asset. For potential buyers, the headline yield needs to be weighed against that underlying risk.