Bitcoin News: Strategy Spends $635 Million on STRC Buybacks as Preferred Stock Lags $100 Par

Strategy's perpetual preferred stock, Stretch, continues to struggle to reach its $100 par value despite ongoing repurchase efforts.The Bitcoin treasury company has now spent $635.2 million buying back STRC, which currently trades at $97.34. A $1 billion repurchase authorization has lifted the stock from a low of around $71 to roughly $97.The repurchases have grown in size as the price has climbed. Strategy's latest purchase totalled $151.8 million at an average price of $97.48.Strategy Buys Bitcoin for the First Time in Two MonthsStrategy acquired 4,603 BTC for $369.7 million last week at around $80,000 — its first Bitcoin purchase in two months. Total holdings rose to 845,050 BTC, worth roughly $65.9 billion.That ends a stretch that ran six consecutive weeks without net accumulation, during which the company sold Bitcoin three separate times below its cost basis to fund preferred dividends, raised $333.7 million in common stock, and built its USD reserve to $4.8 billion with a 2.8-year duration.The resumption follows Bitcoin clearing Strategy's average cost basis of $75,385. Buying at roughly $80,000 puts the purchase above that level — the condition that makes raising capital to accumulate work rather than compound an underwater position.SATA's 13% Daily Dividend Is Beating STRC's 12% Semi-MonthlyCompetition from Strive's perpetual preferred, SATA, appears to be one of STRC's challenges.SATA offers a 13% annualized dividend rate with daily payments, against STRC's 12% annualized rate paid semi-monthly. SATA has held around its $100 par value for more than a week.The payment frequency matters as much as the rate. Daily distributions reduce the duration an investor's capital sits uncompensated between payments and make the instrument behave more like a cash-management product — which is precisely the use case a par-priced perpetual preferred serves. A full percentage point of additional yield on top compounds the advantage.The result is a self-reinforcing gap. SATA holding par has allowed Strive to issue additional shares through its at-the-market program, with proceeds funding the purchase of 1,800 BTC over the past week. STRC below par cannot do the same — Strategy is spending capital to support the price rather than raising capital through it.Strategy Is Buying Back What Strive Is IssuingThe structural contrast is the core of the story. Both companies run Bitcoin treasury strategies funded partly through perpetual preferred stock. One is deploying $635.2 million to repurchase its preferred; the other is issuing preferred at par to buy Bitcoin.Strategy has $364.8 million remaining under the $1 billion STRC authorization, plus $1 billion available for MSTR common stock repurchases disclosed in the August 17 filing.ASST Up 60% Year to Date While MSTR Is Down 15%The divergence extends to the common shares. Strive's ASST has gained 60% year to date. MSTR has fallen 15%.That is a 75-point performance gap between two companies running comparable strategies on the same underlying asset. Part of it is scale — Strategy's 845,050 BTC position at a $75,385 average cost basis is a far larger balance sheet to move than Strive's, and the company spent the correction managing an underwater treasury while servicing a 12% preferred obligation.MSTR at $132.94 has recovered from the correction lows, having broken above $135 intraday for the first time in 12 weeks as Bitcoin cleared the cost basis. Whether the resumed accumulation narrows the gap depends substantially on whether Bitcoin holds above $75,385 — and on whether STRC can reach par without further repurchase spending.