Key Points:
- David Bailey raised $300M to launch Nakamoto, a Bitcoin investment firm modeled after MicroStrategy.
- Vivek Ramaswamy’s Strive Asset Management is merging with a Nasdaq-listed firm to create a $1B publicly traded Bitcoin treasury company.
- The launch of Nakamoto coincides with rising political scrutiny, including a Senate bill targeting crypto activities by U.S. officials.
Bitcoin and Politics Collide at a Critical Juncture
David Bailey, a longtime crypto advocate and adviser to President Donald Trump, has raised $300 million to launch a Bitcoin-focused investment firm called Nakamoto. According to CNBC, the raise includes $200 million in equity and $100 million in convertible debt.
Nakamoto is expected to go public via a reverse merger with a Nasdaq-listed company. An official announcement may arrive as early as next week. Target regions include Brazil, Thailand, and South Africa.
Bailey responded with “No comment” on X just as the CNBC report came out.
Meanwhile, the launch adds to a growing wave of politically linked institutional Bitcoin moves. Just recently, Twenty One Capital, backed by Tether and SoftBank, and led by Brandon Lutnick (son of U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick)—announced a similar strategy.
Additionally, Vivek Ramaswamy, running for Ohio governor in 2026. He is linked with Strive Asset Management, which is merging with Nasdaq-listed Asset Entities to form the first publicly traded Bitcoin treasury company. The new entity plans to raise up to $1 billion in equity and debt to acquire Bitcoin. Following the news, Asset Entities’ stock surged 450%. Strive CEO Matt Cole, a former $70 billion fixed-income portfolio manager, said Bitcoin will serve as the benchmark for capital deployment. The firm also plans to acquire undervalued public companies.
Washington Pushes Back With MEME Act
On the political front, U.S. lawmakers are responding with tighter oversight. On May 6, Senate Democrats introduced the MEME Act. The bill would ban federal officials and their families, including the Trumps, from promoting or launching crypto ventures.
As a result, the U.S. finds itself at a pivotal crossroads. On one side, institutional adoption of Bitcoin is gaining speed. On the other hand, political resistance is mounting. What happens next in Washington may determine the pace of Bitcoin’s mainstream integration.
