MARA Holdings, one of the world's largest bitcoin miners, has launched a nonprofit foundation dedicated to protecting the long-term security of the bitcoin network, with a particular focus on the threat posed by quantum computing and the declining economics of mining as block rewards continue to halve.
Chief executive Fred Thiel unveiled the MARA Foundation at the Bitcoin 2026 conference in Las Vegas on Monday.
"Bitcoin is the most important decentralised system ever created, but its future is not guaranteed," Thiel told attendees.
"It's a public utility that nobody owns, but everybody depends on. Decentralisation doesn't mean it runs on itself, it means responsibility is distributed."
The foundation will fund research, open-source development and education across five areas: quantum resistance, including development of post-quantum wallets and support for technical proposals such as BIP 360; open-source tools for scaling, mining and user infrastructure; expanded access to self-custody wallets; policy advocacy and regulatory engagement; and education for developers, users and policymakers.
A central concern is the sustainability of Bitcoin's security budget.
As mining block rewards continue to shrink through successive halvings, transaction fees must eventually replace subsidies as the primary incentive for miners to secure the network.
The foundation will study how to develop a healthier fee market to ensure that the transition does not undermine network security.
The launch comes at a pivotal moment for the mining industry.
Bitcoin's network hashrate has fallen 28.8% since September as miners have increasingly diverted computing resources towards artificial intelligence and high-performance computing, where revenue per megawatt is substantially higher.
MARA itself has been part of that trend, expanding its AI and data centre operations alongside its core mining business.
The company holds 38,689 bitcoin, worth approximately $2.7 billion, making it the fourth-largest corporate holder of the cryptocurrency.
In March, MARA sold 15,133 bitcoin to repurchase convertible senior notes and strengthen its balance sheet.
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To mark the foundation's launch, MARA is committing $100,000 to one of three bitcoin-focused nonprofits, with the recipient chosen by community vote: the 256 Foundation, which builds open-source mining infrastructure; Librería de Satoshi, a Latin American bitcoin education platform; and SafeNet, a bitcoin-powered wireless network serving underserved communities.
The foundation has placed a particular emphasis on the Global South, especially Africa and Latin America, where bitcoin is being used as a hedge against currency devaluation and restricted financial access.
The recap
- MARA Holdings formed a foundation addressing bitcoin threats and resilience.
- CEO Fred Thiel warned "Bitcoin's future is not guaranteed".
- Company announced the initiative at the Bitcoin Conference in Las Vegas.
