> At a Glance
> – MSCI has dropped its plan to boot digital-asset treasury companies from its global indexes
> – The U-turn erases a feared $15 billion in forced selling that had loomed over crypto-exposed stocks
> – Strategy (MSTR) jumped 6.7% after-hours as investors cheered the reprieve
> – Why it matters: Index-tracked funds worth trillions can keep holding these firms, removing a major market overhang
Index provider MSCI has reversed course on a proposal that would have ejected companies holding most of their assets in crypto from its flagship benchmarks. The decision, revealed Tuesday, preserves access to passive capital for firms like Michael Saylor’s Strategy and heads off what campaigners warned could be a $15 billion liquidity drain.
Proposed Ban Scrapped
In a brief note, MSCI said it will “not implement the proposal to exclude digital asset treasury companies from the MSCI Global Investable Market Indexes as part of the February 2026 Index Review.” The firm instead plans a wider consultation on how to treat non-operating companies across its universe.
The climb-down caps a three-month consultation that began in October when MSCI first floated axing firms-tagged DATCOs-whose crypto holdings exceed 50% of total assets.
Market Relief
BitcoinForCorporations, which rallied 1,500+ signatures and 250+ organizations against the rule, hailed the outcome on social media:
> Bitcoin For Corporations announced:
> “TODAY: MSCI has decided it will NOT exclude #Bitcoin treasuries from their global indexes … Up to $15 billion in forced selling just got taken off the table.”
Macro outlet Milk Road said the move “removes a major overhang” and keeps trillions in index-tracked capital open to the sector. Analyst Bull Theory linked the original proposal to the October 10 crash, noting the reversal also “ends the MSTR FUD about being forced to sell their Bitcoin holdings.”
Token Price Reaction
While stocks celebrated, Bitcoin itself stayed muted. The token slipped ~1% to $92,700 after brushing $91,500 late Tuesday, though it remains near monthly highs and within a six-week trading band. Resistance is eyed at $94,500.
Key Takeaways
- MSCI’s February 2026 review will no longer purge crypto-heavy balance sheets
- Strategy and similar firms retain their seat in passive portfolios
- A broader consultation on non-operating entities is still ahead
- Bitcoin shrugged off the news, but related equities surged
With index inclusion intact, the path is clear for continued corporate Bitcoin adoption without the threat of forced index exits.
