Money

Michael Burry Clarifies Palantir Option Bet, Announces Hedge Fund Closure, and Teases Future Ventures

Investor Michael Burry, famously known as "The Big Short" investor, has taken steps to clear up misunderstandings regarding his recent options position against Palantir Technologies Inc. His clarification comes amidst widespread media reports that inaccurately portrayed the magnitude of his investment. In a related development, Burry also announced the impending closure of his hedge fund, Scion Asset Management, citing a persistent disconnect between market valuations and his own analytical perspectives. This move, he explained, marks a significant shift in his professional trajectory, with a new venture hinted for the near future.

Investor Michael Burry Sheds Light on Palantir Bet and Announces Fund's Closure

On November 14, 2025, in a post on X, prominent investor Michael Burry addressed public misinterpretations surrounding his latest options trade involving Palantir Technologies Inc. The esteemed investor specified that he acquired 50,000 put option contracts on Palantir, each representing 100 shares, with an expiration date in 2027 and a strike price of $50. The total expenditure for these contracts was $9.2 million, a figure considerably lower than the $912 million erroneously cited in various media reports. He directly tagged major financial news outlets like CNBC, the Wall Street Journal, and the Financial Times to rectify the inaccurate figures. This strategic position provides Burry with a short exposure equivalent to approximately 5 million Palantir shares, indicating his anticipation of a substantial stock price decline exceeding 70% by 2027 to achieve profitability. He further noted that this transaction was executed last month. Concurrently, Burry disclosed the decision to de-register Scion Asset Management, LLC., his hedge fund. In a communication to investors, he expressed that the fund would be liquidated, and capital returned by the end of the year. This decision stems from a prolonged period where market trends diverged from his investment evaluations. Beyond Palantir, Burry has also taken a short position on NVIDIA Corp. through 1 million put options, signaling his skepticism regarding the current state of the artificial intelligence market. As of Thursday's close, Palantir shares experienced a 6.53% decrease, settling at $172.14, with a subsequent 0.82% decline overnight. Despite these fluctuations, Palantir maintains high scores in Momentum and Growth within Benzinga's Edge Stock Rankings, demonstrating a positive price trend across short, medium, and long terms.

This sequence of events offers a compelling glimpse into the mind of a contrarian investor. Burry's meticulous correction of investment figures underscores the importance of accurate financial reporting and the potential for misinterpretation in complex market transactions. His decision to close Scion Asset Management, despite his past successes, highlights the challenges even seasoned investors face when market dynamics consistently diverge from fundamental analysis. This move could signal a broader shift in his investment philosophy or a strategic pivot towards new opportunities. The hint of a new venture adds an element of anticipation, suggesting that while one chapter closes, another, potentially innovative, one is about to begin. For observers, it's a reminder that even the most established players in the financial world are constantly adapting and re-evaluating their strategies in response to an ever-changing economic landscape.

Canadian Pension Fund Invests Millions in Vivek Ramaswamy's Bitcoin Treasury Firm, Strive Inc.

A Canadian pension fund has recently unveiled a substantial investment in Strive Inc., a financial entity focused on Bitcoin, which was co-founded by Vivek Ramaswamy. This move underscores a rising trend among institutional investors to allocate capital towards cryptocurrency-aligned businesses. Strive Inc. has solidified its position as a significant holder of Bitcoin, reflecting its strategic focus on integrating the digital asset into its corporate treasury. This development highlights the evolving landscape of traditional finance and its increasing intersection with the digital currency sector.

Significant Institutional Investment in Strive Inc.

The Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan Trust Fund (HOOPP) has made a notable investment, acquiring shares in Strive Inc., a Bitcoin-centric treasury firm established by Vivek Ramaswamy. Public filings reveal HOOPP's purchase of 14,814,815 shares of Strive, amounting to a total value of $37.07 million. This valuation is based on the stock's closing price of $2.50 per share as of September 30. The Toronto-based pension fund further confirmed its ownership of 6.4% of Strive's Class A common stock through a Schedule 13G filing. This substantial investment by a major Canadian pension fund signifies a growing acceptance and integration of cryptocurrency-focused enterprises into traditional investment portfolios, indicating a broader market trend towards digital asset exposure. The financial commitment by HOOPP not only provides significant capital to Strive but also lends credibility and validates the business model of Bitcoin treasury firms within the mainstream financial community. This strategic allocation by a pension fund suggests a long-term perspective on the potential of Bitcoin and the companies that build their strategies around it. The investment could also encourage other institutional investors to explore similar opportunities, further legitimizing the cryptocurrency market.

This considerable financial commitment from the Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan Trust Fund positions Strive Inc. as a key player in the evolving digital asset landscape. The investment details, disclosed through a 13F filing for the third quarter, specify the acquisition of millions of shares, underscoring the pension fund's confidence in Strive's operational strategy and its Bitcoin holdings. The $37.07 million investment, calculated using the stock's price at the end of September, highlights the scale of HOOPP's entry into the cryptocurrency-adjacent market. Furthermore, the Schedule 13G filing clarified that HOOPP now holds a 6.4% stake in Strive's Class A common stock, solidifying its position as a significant institutional shareholder. This move is particularly noteworthy given Strive's recent formation through a reverse merger with Asset Entities Inc., a transaction that garnered shareholder approval earlier this year. The merger aimed to create a publicly traded Bitcoin treasury company with the ambitious goal of securing up to $1.5 billion in funding. Strive's current holdings of 7,525 Bitcoin, valued at approximately $734 million, make it one of the largest corporate entities holding the premier cryptocurrency. This strategic focus on Bitcoin as a treasury asset distinguishes Strive and appeals to investors seeking exposure to the digital gold.

Strive's Strategic Emphasis on Bitcoin Holdings

Strive Inc.'s core strategy revolves around its substantial Bitcoin holdings, a focus that became more prominent following its reverse merger with Asset Entities Inc. earlier this year. This merger received unanimous approval from shareholders, paving the way for the creation of a public company dedicated to Bitcoin treasury management, with a projected funding capacity of $1.5 billion. Currently, Strive manages an impressive portfolio of 7,525 Bitcoins, which translates to a market value of approximately $734 million. This significant accumulation places Strive among the top corporate entities globally in terms of Bitcoin ownership. The company's commitment to holding Bitcoin as a primary treasury asset reflects a bullish outlook on the cryptocurrency's long-term value and its role as a hedge against inflation and economic uncertainty. This strategic direction, supported by substantial institutional investment, reinforces Strive's position as a key player in the cryptocurrency ecosystem and signals a potential shift in how corporations manage their financial reserves in an increasingly digital world.

The strategic foundation of Strive Inc. is firmly rooted in its substantial allocation to Bitcoin, a direction that was explicitly reinforced through a significant corporate restructuring. Earlier in the year, the shareholders of Asset Entities Inc. provided their endorsement for a reverse merger with Strive Enterprises, a company notably backed by Vivek Ramaswamy. This pivotal corporate maneuver was designed to establish a publicly traded company that would serve as a dedicated Bitcoin treasury, with aspirations to raise an impressive $1.5 billion in capital. As of the latest available data, Strive Inc. has successfully amassed 7,525 units of Bitcoin, which, at current market valuations, represent a considerable sum of $734 million. This makes Strive one of the preeminent corporate holders of the world's leading cryptocurrency. The company's steadfast commitment to integrating Bitcoin into its treasury strategy underscores a profound belief in the cryptocurrency's enduring value and its potential as a robust financial asset. This approach not only distinguishes Strive in the competitive financial landscape but also signifies a broader trend where companies are increasingly considering digital assets as fundamental components of their balance sheets.

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Musk Declares Solar as Dominant Power Source Amid AI Energy Crunch

In an era defined by rapid technological advancement, particularly in artificial intelligence, the demand for energy is skyrocketing. This unprecedented surge has ignited a global discourse on sustainable power solutions. Elon Musk, a prominent figure in technology and innovation, recently underscored the unparalleled potential of solar energy, positioning it as the ultimate power provider for human civilization. This vision emerges at a critical juncture, with the AI industry facing significant energy constraints, prompting leading tech entities to explore groundbreaking, even futuristic, approaches to meet their insatiable power needs.

The Race for Power: AI's Demand Spurs Innovation

The artificial intelligence sector's burgeoning power consumption has brought into sharp focus the urgent need for robust and sustainable energy infrastructure. On a crisp November morning in 2025, Elon Musk, through his social media platform X, articulated a profound belief: solar electricity is poised to become the preeminent power source for humanity. This statement resonated deeply within the tech community, which is actively seeking viable solutions to the energy bottleneck caused by AI's rapid expansion. An illustrative chart, highlighting solar energy's significant contribution to new electricity generation, provided the backdrop for Musk's assertion.

As AI applications become more sophisticated and widespread, the construction of colossal data centers, the operational backbone of AI, continues unabated. Projections indicate a staggering 30% increase in global power demand by 2035, largely attributable to AI. Esteemed venture capitalist Chamath Palihapitiya has cautioned that this intense pressure could lead to a doubling of electricity costs within five years, signaling a profound shift in energy markets.

In response to this looming energy crisis, tech luminaries are proposing audacious, forward-thinking solutions. Jeff Bezos, founder of Amazon, and Sundar Pichai, CEO of Alphabet, have publicly discussed plans for orbital data centers. Google's ambitious "Project Suncatcher" aims to deploy scalable AI systems in space, leveraging continuous solar power—a resource not fully harnessed on Earth. Concurrently, Samsung and OpenAI are exploring collaborative ventures to establish floating data centers, utilizing the ocean's cool waters for efficient cooling.

These innovative, space-based, and solar-powered initiatives are intricately linked to Musk's broader portfolio of ventures. Cathie Wood's ARK Invest has pinpointed the power supply as a major impediment to the AI industry's growth, identifying SpaceX's Starship as a pivotal technology for making orbital data centers economically feasible. Musk himself has acknowledged the ingenuity of these concepts, humorously endorsing Pichai's Project Suncatcher, while Pichai, in turn, credited SpaceX's advancements in launch technology as indispensable to the plan's feasibility. This dynamic interplay between leading innovators highlights a concerted effort to overcome one of the most critical challenges facing the future of technology.

The unfolding energy saga within the AI sector provides a compelling narrative for investors, shining a spotlight on companies engaged in solar, utility, and energy infrastructure development. As the world navigates this transition, the strategic investments in renewable energy and innovative power solutions will undoubtedly shape the economic landscape. The collaborative and competitive spirit among these tech titans underscores a shared understanding: the future of AI, and indeed human progress, hinges on our ability to harness and deploy energy resources sustainably and efficiently.

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