BTC, GME news: GameStop eBay bid puts $368M bitcoin stashs future in question
GameStop (GME) is aiming for a major expansion with a proposed $55.5 billion acquisition of online marketplace eBay (EBAY), raising fresh questions about whether its bitcoin holdings could help fund the deal. The video game retailer, which holds about $368 million worth of BTC, submitted a non-binding offer Sunday to buy eBay for $125 per share in cash and stock. The bid represents a 46% premium to eBays share price in early February, when GameStop began building a position. The company said it now holds a 5% economic stake through shares and derivatives. A deal of this size would likely require significant cash. GameStop said it expects to fund the offer using its $9.4 billion of “cash and liquid investments” on its balance sheet and up to $20 billion in financing, backed by a letter from TD Securities. Will GameStop sell BTC? That raises fresh questions about whether GameStop will sell its BTC to help pay for the deal. The acquisition plan follows earlier remarks from CEO Ryan Cohen, who said in February he was pursuing a “very, very, very big” acquisition of a public consumer firm. He described the plan as “way more compelling than bitcoin” and left open the option of selling the