Crypto Currency

These 3 crypto stocks could actually beat bitcoin ETFs, says TD Cowen

Markets Share Share this article Copy link X icon X (Twitter) LinkedIn Facebook Email These 3 crypto stocks could actually beat bitcoin ETFs, says TD Cowen Analyst Lance Vitanza is betting that digital asset treasury”companies like Nakamoto, Sharplink and Strive can outperform standard crypto ETFs by aggressively stacking coins and capturing staking yields. By Helene

Share this article
X iconX (Twitter)LinkedInFacebookEmail

These 3 crypto stocks could actually beat bitcoin ETFs, says TD Cowen

Analyst Lance Vitanza is betting that digital asset treasury”companies like Nakamoto, Sharplink and Strive can outperform standard crypto ETFs by aggressively stacking coins and capturing staking yields.

By Helene Braun, AI Boost|Edited by Stephen Alpher
Updated Apr 10, 2026, 2:54 p.m. Published Apr 9, 2026, 8:48 p.m. 2 min read
Make preferred on
(Kevin Carter/Getty Images)

What to know:

  • TD Cowen analyst Lance Vitanza initiated coverage of Nakamoto, Sharplink and Strive with buy ratings, arguing they could outperform spot crypto ETPs if digital asset prices rebound and token holdings per share keep rising.
  • Vitanza’s price targets—$1 for Nakamoto, $16 for Sharplink and $26 for Strive—assume bitcoin reaches about $140,000 and ether about $3,650 by late 2026, supporting sizable projected dollar gains for each firm.
  • He contends that the companies’ operating businesses and treasury strategies, including bitcoin and ether accumulation, minority stakes, and staking income, could generate better yields than spot crypto funds and help cover costs even in weaker markets.

After declines of 90% or more in digital asset treasury companies Nakamoto (NAKA), Sharplink (SBET) and Strive (ASST), TD Cowen’s Lance Vitanza is spotting value.

He argued that each could outperform spot crypto exchange-traded products if crypto prices recover and the firms keep expanding token holdings on a per-share basis.

Nakamoto Holdings

Vitanza initiated coverage of Nakamoto (NAKA) with a Buy rating and a $1.00 price target, suggesting nearly a five-hold increase from today’s close of $0.21. He based that target on estimated bitcoin dollar gains of $394 million for fiscal 2027, a 2x multiple and a bitcoin price of about $140,000 at the end of 2026.

He said Nakamoto stands out among public bitcoin treasury companies because it combines direct bitcoin accumulation with minority stakes in overseas treasury firms such as Metaplanet and Treasury BV. He also pointed to operating businesses in media, bitcoin advocacy and digital asset management, saying those assets create “distinct synergy potential.”

SharpLink

Starting Sharplink (SBET) with a buy rating and a $16 price target, Vitanza sees dollar gains of $93 million for fiscal 2026, a 2x multiple and an ether price of about $3,650 by December 2026. SBET closed Thursday at $6.42.

He described Sharplink, which is led by ex-BlackRock head of digital assets, Joseph Chalom and Ethereum co-founder Joseph Lubin, as an Ethereum treasury company that aims to grow ether per share through treasury operations and staking. Vitanza said the company may deliver better staking yield than spot ether ETPs because fund investors absorb fees, and many products cannot stake a large share of holdings.

He also argued that even if ether stays weak, staking income should more than cover operating costs. That, he said, could help Sharplink continue to produce positive ETH yield while it waits for capital markets to reopen.

Strive

Vitanza initiated Strive (ASST) with a buy rating and a $26 price target, or nearly triple today’s closing price of $9.64. He tied that target to estimated bitcoin dollar gains of $142 million for fiscal 2026, a 2x multiple and bitcoin at about $140,000 by year-end 2026.

He said Strive is the first public bitcoin treasury company to acquire another one, citing its January 2026 purchase of Semler Scientific. Vitanza called it a “watershed event” and said it supports the view that Strive could become a logical consolidator if more treasury companies trade at a discount to the value of their bitcoin.

He also highlighted Strive’s mix of asset management, social media marketing and bitcoin education businesses. In TD Cowen’s view, those units could support treasury operations and help the company outperform spot bitcoin funds in a favorable market.

AI Disclaimer: Parts of this article were generated with the assistance from AI tools and reviewed by our editorial team to ensure accuracy and adherence to our standards. For more information, see CoinDesk’s full AI Policy.

Mehr für Sie

Bitcoin tests $80,000 as Asia’s bid fades and Hong Kong AI IPOs surge

Hong Kong's skyline (Chris Lam/CoinDesk)

Western desks are carrying the bitcoin rally alone, with Friday’s jobs report the next test.

Was Sie wissen sollten:

  • Bitcoin is repeatedly stalling just below $80,000. Onchain data shows the short-term holder realized price around $80,700 acting as near-term resistance.
  • Asian trading hours have been a persistent drag on bitcoin returns as Hong Kong’s spot bitcoin ETFs sit largely dormant while regional capital rotates into a booming local IPO…
Ganze Geschichte lesen
Latest Crypto News
Hong Kong's skyline (Chris Lam/CoinDesk)

Bitcoin tests $80,000 as Asia’s bid fades and Hong Kong AI IPOs surge

A GameStop store (CoinDesk Archive)

GameStop’s $55.5 billion eBay takeover bid puts its $368 million bitcoin stash in the crosshairs

A Hut 8 mining site (Hut 8)

Hut 8 swaps Coinbase loan for cheaper FalconX deal, slashing borrowing costs as it bets big on AI

Jeremy Allaire, Co-Founder, Chairman and CEO, Circle Speaks at Hong Kong Fintech Week in 2src24 (HK Fintech Week)

Circle, Coinbase lead crypto stocks rally amid Clarity Act progress, bitcoin hitting $80,000

(Moor Studio/Getty Images)

The government should promote innovation, not punish it

canaa fintrac

Shopify and National Bank of Canada are among backers of a new digital currency built to settle trades 24/7

Top Stories
Bear tried. (Alexandru-Bogdan Ghita/Unsplash)

Crypto bears got it wrong again, losing $300 million in liquidations

U.S. President Donald Trump (Roberto Schmidt/Getty Images)

U.S. voters don’t trust Trump administration to oversee crypto sector, CoinDesk poll finds

Businessmen shaking hands in front of documentation (Amina Atar/Unsplash)

Crypto industry backs CLARITY Act yield compromise, pushes Senate Banking for markup

Coinbase logo shown on a laptop screen

Coinbase boosts Solana trading with DFlow integration

Hot air ballon. (bozziniclaudio/Pixabay)

Veteran trader Peter Brandt sees bitcoin hitting $250,000, but only after a bottom later this year

Michael Saylor

Strategy raised $82 million

!–>!–>!–>!–>!–>!–>!–>!–>!–>!–>!–>
Read More

Be the first to write a comment.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Crypto Currency

Why Nigerians Are Talking About Monica Cash for Bitcoin to Naira Withdrawal

Centralised crypto-to-fiat systems that simplify cash out…

Centralised crypto-to-fiat systems that simplify cash out…
Read More

Continue Reading
Crypto Currency

Bitcoin returns to the price that capped 2021, defined 2024, and now tests the rally again

Bitcoin is back at a crossroads it has navigated multiple times in prior cycles, and this may be where the real test begins in this cycle. After weeks of trying to turn the low-$80,000s into a new recovery zone, BTC has returned to the $66,900-$68,000 area…

Bitcoin is back at a crossroads it has navigated multiple times in prior cycles, and this may be where the real test begins in this cycle. After weeks of trying to turn the low-$80,000s into a new recovery zone, BTC has returned to the $66,900-$68,000 area…
Read More

Continue Reading
Crypto Currency

Strategy’s First Bitcoin Sale Since 2022 Sends Saturn Credit’s sUSDat Briefly Below $0.93

It took just 32 Bitcoin to crack one of crypto’s most powerful narratives. Strategy, the world’s largest corporate Bitcoin treasury, disclosed its first net BTC sale since 2022, and even though the amount was negligible by any objective measure, the market reacted as if something fundamental had changed…

It took just 32 Bitcoin to crack one of crypto’s most powerful narratives. Strategy, the world’s largest corporate Bitcoin treasury, disclosed its first net BTC sale since 2022, and even though the amount was negligible by any objective measure, the market reacted as if something fundamental had changed…
Read More

Continue Reading
Crypto Currency

Bitcoin Slide Sparks Biggest Short-Term Holder Losses Since February

Bitcoin’s drop below $67,000 drove short-term holders to realise losses at the fastest pace since February, lifting Binance inflows and putting the $60,000 February low back in play. The post Bitcoin Slide Sparks Biggest Short-Term Holder Losses Since February appeared first on Crypto News Australia…

Bitcoin’s drop below $67,000 drove short-term holders to realise losses at the fastest pace since February, lifting Binance inflows and putting the $60,000 February low back in play.
The post Bitcoin Slide Sparks Biggest Short-Term Holder Losses Since February appeared first on Crypto News Australia…
Read More

Continue Reading