GameStop, which used to be the face of meme stock mania, is back in the news, but this time it’s for a very different reason. The company made a big move into digital assets in March 2025 when it announced a strategic investment in Bitcoin. What happened? After hours of trading, GameStop shares rose by more than 8%, sparking interest in the relationship between corporate finance and cryptocurrency.
This isn’t just about GameStop, though. It’s also about a growing trend of businesses using cryptocurrency that is changing how they manage money, signal new ideas, and increase shareholder value.
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1. GameStop’s change: from physical stores to digital reserves
GameStop is changing its business model because its sales of physical games are going down and competition in digital distribution is going up. The company’s investment in Bitcoin is part of a bigger plan to change its brand and financial strategy.
Some important things about the move are that GameStop bought an undisclosed amount of Bitcoin with cash from its balance sheet.
• Executives said they bought it because of “long-term digital asset value” and “macro-hedging.”
• The business also hinted that it might add crypto wallets to its online platform in the future.
This is a clear attempt for a company that has been thought to be on life support for a long time to get back in the game.
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2. Following Tesla’s example
GameStop is not the only one. Since Tesla made news in 2021 when it bought $1.5 billion worth of Bitcoin, a number of other companies have done the same:
• MicroStrategy still has the most Bitcoin of any company, with more than 190,000 BTC.
• Block (formerly Square) has put a lot of money into BTC and DeFi infrastructure.
• PayPal and Visa are working on crypto payment rails and storage services.
These moves aren’t just for fun; they’re part of a new way to manage the treasury, where Bitcoin is a hedge against inflation and a possible growth asset.
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3. Why businesses are using crypto in 2025
A number of things are making this change happen faster:
• High inflation and unstable fiat: Companies are looking for ways to avoid keeping large amounts of USD.
• ETFs and custodial tools: Companies can now buy, hold, and keep track of Bitcoin more easily thanks to regulated financial products.
• Cultural branding: Using crypto makes companies look innovative and attracts Millennial and Gen Z investors.
This is also a way for GameStop to revive its brand and show that it is in line with Web3 and digital-native customers.
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4. What do investors think? Are they bullish or just hyped?
Wall Street’s reaction to GameStop’s move has been mixed:
• Most retail investors were happy about it, comparing it to Tesla’s early gains.
• Analysts, on the other hand, are careful and wonder if the move shows real strategic depth or is just a short-term distraction from falling sales.
Even so, the market is moving—GameStop’s stock has gone up by double digits since the announcement, and mentions of crypto on earnings calls reached record highs in the first quarter of 2025.
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5. The Big Picture: How Crypto Affects Corporate Balance Sheets
As corporate treasurers learn more about crypto assets and get more comfortable with them, more companies will:
• Use Bitcoin and stablecoins to diversify their reserves
• Accept crypto for B2B and consumer payments
• Look into blockchain-based shareholder systems and tokenized equity
In other words, crypto is going from a way to get people to buy things to a way to run a business.
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Final Thoughts: A New Financial Playbook for Businesses
GameStop’s investment in Bitcoin might seem risky or bold, but it shows that companies are starting to see digital assets in a new way. By 2025, the idea of businesses using crypto is no longer strange. It’s a trend that is getting bigger and bigger that combines branding, finance, and new ideas.
For the market, this means a new era where the balance sheet is not just about money but also about digital value.
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