SEC Probes Firms for Insider Trading in Crypto Treasury Moves

US regulators are reportedly probing more than 200 firms with crypto treasuries over insider trading.

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) raised concerns after observing unusually high trading volumes and sharp stock-price gains in the days before the companies’ announcements.

A Regulatory Sweep

Recent reports revealed that federal regulators are now scrutinizing over 200 companies that have adopted crypto purchases as a core corporate strategy, facing allegations of insider trading.

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Although the specific names of the firms weren’t disclosed, the news surfaced as more corporations adopt an aggressive, MicroStrategy-inspired playbook for crypto accumulation. The SEC reportedly launched these investigations after observing notable trading volume and stock price surges just before the public announcements. 

To follow up on this, the regulator warned the firms, specifically cautioning them against violating Regulation Fair Disclosure. This rule forbids sharing nonpublic information selectively with certain investors who might use it for trading.

When companies privately fund large cryptocurrency purchases by engaging outside investors, they require these investors to sign non-disclosure agreements. However, sharp spikes in the company’s stock price immediately before the public announcement suggest this confidentiality was broken. 

The Corporate Crypto Playbook

CoinGecko data shows that 108 companies currently own Bitcoin. However, these corporate treasuries have expanded beyond Bitcoin to include altcoins such as Ethereum, Solana, and Litecoin in recent months.

Many companies use a “flywheel” strategy by privately raising capital via debt and equity to finance massive crypto purchases. Because these financing and purchasing plans are highly sensitive and nonpublic, any premature disclosure provides a major trading advantage. 

The flywheel model uses capital—frequently raised through cheap debt like convertible bonds—to buy large amounts of crypto. This boosts the company’s stock price because investors treat the shares as a magnified way to bet on the crypto’s rising value.

This higher stock price, in turn, allows the company to raise more capital for the next round of crypto buying, creating a high-leverage feedback loop. Any leak about an imminent capital raise or purchase immediately affects this sensitive mechanism.