MARA Holdings (NASDAQ: MARA) officially launched the MARA Foundation at the Bitcoin 2026 conference in Las Vegas, an initiative aimed at strengthening the Bitcoin network and expanding access to bitcoin as a financial tool. The foundation will focus on five key areas: network security (including quantum resistance research), open-source software development, self-custody tools and infrastructure, public policy and advocacy, and user/developer/policymaker education.
To celebrate the launch, the foundation introduced a $100,000 community grant vote open until 3:00 PM PST on April 29 via the foundation’s website, with in-person voting available at MARA’s conference booth. MARA Chairman and CEO Fred Thiel stated, “Our new initiative is dedicated to supporting the long-term strength, resilience and accessibility of the Bitcoin network.”
Selected Organizations and Company Financial Moves
The three candidate organizations are SateNet (building community-operated wireless networks powered by Bitcoin), the 256 Foundation (funding open-source Bitcoin mining hardware and software development), and Librería de Satoshi (expanding Bitcoin technical education across languages and regions). Thiel emphasized that as a Bitcoin miner, MARA has a responsibility to support the protocol’s long-term health: “We mine Bitcoin. We help secure the network every day. That gives us a responsibility to invest in the protocol’s long-term health, not just its short-term economics.” The winner will be announced after voting closes.
Separately, in March MARA sold 15,133 Bitcoin for approximately $1.1 billion to fund the repurchase of its 0% convertible senior notes. The company reduced its outstanding convertible debt by about 30%, from roughly $3.3 billion to $2.3 billion, achieving savings from discounted buybacks. MARA said the move strengthened its balance sheet, limited potential shareholder dilution, and supported its broader shift toward AI and high-performance computing. Its Bitcoin holdings fell to 38,689 BTC, and shares are trading near $11.65 per share according to recent market data.