King of Death Spiral Financing: Riding the Bitcoin Wave to the Top of Japan's Capital Market
Michael Lerch, a controversial American investor and head of Evolution Financial Group, has become the dominant force in Japan's "death spiral" financing market. His fund, Evo, is the largest buyer of floating-strike equity warrants, a financing tool for distressed small-cap companies that provides quick cash but causes significant shareholder dilution. In 2025, Evo's transactions, which accounted for over 80% of the market, exceeded ¥1 trillion ($63 billion), driven largely by a massive deal with Metaplanet. The hotel operator used the funds to purchase over $2 billion in Bitcoin, causing its stock to skyrocket before crashing 80%. While some CEOs credit Lerch with saving their companies, others accuse his aggressive tactics of damaging shareholder value and corporate reputations. Based in Nevada, Lerch built his empire through arbitrage and a vast network, but his methods have drawn regulatory scrutiny and legal challenges, including a London court ruling against his firm in a dispute with a former employee. The rise of Evo highlights the dilemma for Japan's many small listed companies that rely on such high-cost financing to survive.
marsbit04/22 02:38
