Riot Platforms Continues to Acquire Bitfarms Shares Despite “Poison Pill” Plan

• Riot Platforms continues to acquire shares while responding to Bitfarms’ “poison pill” strategy.
• Bitfarms recently initiated a defensive measure to prevent any company from acquiring more than 15% of its shares from June 20 to September 10.
• Riot Platforms CEO criticized Bitfarms’ approach, labeling it as divergent from conventional business practices.

Riot Platforms persists in its acquisition despite Bitfarms’ defensive maneuvers, raising questions about the future direction of both companies in the crypto mining sector.

Riot Platforms’ Persistent Acquisition of Bitfarms Shares

Bitcoin mining company Riot Platforms remains undeterred in its pursuit of acquiring Bitfarms shares, despite Bitfarms’ recent implementation of a “poison pill” strategy. This measure was introduced to thwart any entity from purchasing more than 15% of Bitfarms’ shares within a specified period. However, Riot Platforms, which had already acquired 12% of Bitfarms’ shares, regarded this defensive strategy as unorthodox and an outlier to traditional corporate governance practices.

CEO’s Strong Criticism and Strategic Vision

Riot Platforms’ CEO, in a statement on June 12, expressed strong disapproval of Bitfarms’ defensive countermeasures, emphasizing that Riot’s push for greater shareholder influence aimed to address significant governance issues within Bitfarms. He highlighted that the objective was to ensure stakeholders had a substantial say in the future direction of the company. As of last week, Riot Platforms escalated its share acquisition, having purchased approximately 6 million additional Bitfarms shares, thereby increasing its ownership stake to 13.1%.

Financial Implications and Strategic Moves

The latest move by Riot Platforms to purchase another 1.432.063 Bitfarms shares, valued at around $3.87 million at $2.70 per share, reveals their unwavering confidence in Bitfarms’ potential and reinforces their commitment to consolidating their control. The repeated acquisitions highlight Riot’s strategic objective to exert significant influence over Bitfarms, irrespective of the latter’s defensive hurdles.

The Counteractive Measures by Bitfarms

Bitfarms, on the other hand, remains resolute in its approach to fend off Riot Platforms’ aggressive acquisition tactics. According to a report by Reuters, Bitfarms’ board has outlined plans to issue new shares in the event that Riot’s ownership surpasses the 15% threshold before the deadline of September 10. This action aims to dilute Riot’s stake, thus preserving Bitfarms’ defense against an overt takeover.

Conclusion

The ongoing acquisition efforts by Riot Platforms and the defensive strategies employed by Bitfarms underscore the intense dynamics within the cryptocurrency mining sector. While Riot Platforms is steadfast in its pursuit, aiming to address governance issues and secure shareholder influence, Bitfarms’ defensive posture seeks to protect its autonomy and shareholder value. The unfolding developments will be crucial in determining the long-term stability and strategic direction of both companies within this volatile industry.