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Bitcoin miner MARA Holdings has launched the MARA Foundation and asked the public to vote on which of three Bitcoin-related companies should receive a $100,000 contribution as part of the foundation’s launch.
The MARA Foundation, announced Monday at the Bitcoin 2026 conference in Las Vegas, is intended to support the health of the Bitcoin network and the communities that rely on it, with a focus on financial sovereignty.
In its announcement, MARA said the foundation plans to implement measures to “harden Bitcoin against security threats,” including quantum computing. It also aims to expand access to self-custodial Bitcoin (BTC) and provide educational resources.
The foundation also said it plans to support the “development of a robust and healthy fee market for Bitcoin transactions.”
MARA framed its commitment to Bitcoin as protecting the “core properties that make Bitcoin sound, durable money,” describing Bitcoin as a tool for “financial sovereignty, economic resilience, and human freedom.”
MARA’s announcement comes as corporate Bitcoin miners have expanded into areas such as AI and high-performance computing in search of higher-revenue opportunities. The article also noted that Bitcoin hashrate—used to measure the computational power employed by miners to secure the network—has fallen 28.8% since September.
The MARA Foundation is set to begin with a $100,000 contribution fund and is asking the public to vote on which of three companies should receive the funds.
The three candidates are:
MARA said one of the foundation’s missions is to enable “financial sovereignty worldwide,” particularly in the “Global South,” described as mostly Africa and Latin America. It said Bitcoin is being used there to escape financial oppression in jurisdictions affected by hyperinflation, confiscatory policy, and restrictions on financial freedom.
The foundation also said it plans to share educational resources with both Bitcoin developers and policymakers, alongside its broader community-focused efforts.
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