Bitcoin Surges Past $85,000 as Strategy Inc. Shares Leap 9%

Strategy Inc.'s shares surged 9% to $167.70 on Monday, fueled by Bitcoin's breakout above $85,000 for the first time since late January. The rally accelerated a month-long surge that made Strategy the top performer in the Nasdaq-100 over the trailing 30 days.

The catalyst was an SEC exemption allowing select platforms to trade tokenized U.S. stocks on blockchain rails. This regulatory shift triggered short-position liquidations across crypto markets, with $750 million in positions wiped out in 24 hours.

Executive Chairman Michael Saylor's hint that the company would resume its aggressive Bitcoin accumulation strategy proved accurate: Strategy disclosed it acquired 950 coins between September 14 and 20 for approximately $75.7 million.