CEA Industries Invests $624M in BNB as Token Hits Record High

The U.S.-listed firm now holds 480,000 BNB after a series of massive acquisitions, as the token hits record highs and institutional demand surges.

CEA Accelerates BNB Accumulation Amid Record Rally

CEA Industries Inc. (Nasdaq: BNC) has announced it now holds 480,000 BNB tokens, valued at roughly $624 million, positioning the company as the largest publicly reported institutional holder of Binance’s native cryptocurrency. The disclosure comes as BNB reached a new all-time high of over $1,300 on October 7, marking a major milestone for both the token and its growing institutional appeal.

According to CEA’s latest filing, the company aims to accumulate 1% of BNB’s total supply by the end of 2025, underscoring its aggressive expansion strategy in the digital asset space. The firm said its average acquisition price stands at $860 per token, equating to a total investment of approximately $412.8 million. As of October 6, those holdings were worth $585.5 million, complemented by an additional $77.5 million in cash reserves, bringing the company’s combined crypto and cash position to $663 million.

From Vape Maker to Digital Asset Powerhouse

CEA’s rise to prominence in the crypto sector has been one of the most striking transformations of 2025. Formerly a Canadian vape manufacturer, the company rebranded and pivoted toward digital asset accumulation following a series of capital raises earlier this year. The shift was orchestrated by CEO David Namdar, a co-founder of Galaxy Digital and senior partner at 10X Capital, who has steered the company into becoming what he describes as a “BNB treasury vehicle” for U.S. investors.

“BNB’s all-time highs are a clear validation that global markets are waking up to the inherent value, credibility, scale, and utility of both the asset and its underlying ecosystem,” said Namdar. “We view BNB not just as a token but as the fulcrum of a massively integrated ecosystem.”

In June, CEA’s stock price surged 550% in a single day after the company unveiled plans to build the largest corporate BNB treasury in the United States. Two months later, it achieved that goal by surpassing all previous institutional holders following a 200,000 BNB acquisition worth $160 million.

The company’s expansion has been backed by a $500 million private share sale to investors led by 10X Capital and YZi Labs, the latter known for past ties to Binance co-founder Changpeng Zhao. With additional warrants and convertible instruments, CEA could unlock as much as $1.25 billion in total funding for future BNB purchases.

Institutional Treasuries Embrace BNB

CEA’s move follows a broader wave of institutional interest in the Binance ecosystem, as BNB gains credibility beyond its exchange roots. Several publicly traded firms have recently announced their own BNB-focused strategies:

Nano Labs, listed in Hong Kong, disclosed a $50 million BNB purchase in July.
Windtree Therapeutics, a U.S.-listed company, revealed plans to allocate most of its $520 million capital raise into BNB holdings.
Multiple Nasdaq-listed firms are reportedly exploring BNB-denominated treasuries, mirroring the trend once led by Bitcoin-focused corporations like MicroStrategy.

CEA’s holdings now place it alongside major corporate crypto treasuries such as Strategy (Bitcoin) and Bitmine Immersion Technologies (Ethereum), further solidifying BNB’s emergence as a legitimate institutional asset.

BNB Becomes the World’s Third-Largest Cryptocurrency

BNB’s rapid appreciation has reshaped the global crypto rankings. With its price topping $1,300, the token’s market capitalization surpassed $170 billion, overtaking Solana’s $122 billion and briefly edging out XRP and Tether to become the third-largest cryptocurrency after Bitcoin and Ethereum.

The surge coincided with broader market momentum. Bitcoin climbed to $126,000 amid renewed investor interest in digital assets as a hedge against macroeconomic uncertainty, including the ongoing U.S. government shutdown.

At the same time, BNB Chain has shown strong fundamentals, boasting:

2.44 million daily active addresses
$4.14 billion in decentralized exchange volume
$9.27 billion in total value locked (TVL) across DeFi protocols
$4.4 million in daily network fees generated, according to DeFiLlama

Roughly 30% of BNB’s circulating supply is staked, and validators are now discussing a 50% gas fee reduction and faster block times to enhance the network’s competitiveness against rivals like Solana and Base.

Global Recognition Boosts BNB’s Legitimacy

BNB’s ascent is not limited to corporate treasuries. In late September, Kazakhstan announced that it would include BNB as the first asset in its national reserve fund, known as the Alem Crypto Fund. The move marked a rare example of state-level adoption of a non-sovereign digital asset, adding further legitimacy to BNB’s global standing.

This combination of institutional inflows, sovereign validation, and expanding on-chain activity has positioned BNB as one of the most strategically important assets in the crypto market. For investors, the trend signals a broader shift toward ecosystem-based tokens with tangible utility beyond speculation.

A Turning Point for Corporate Crypto Strategy

CEA Industries’ bet on BNB highlights a new phase in corporate crypto strategy — one that extends beyond Bitcoin accumulation to ecosystem diversification. As BNB Chain continues to expand its role in decentralized finance, payments, and blockchain infrastructure, companies like CEA are positioning themselves to capture value from its long-term growth trajectory.

With an ambitious goal to own 1% of the token’s total supply and an expanding balance sheet, CEA has effectively cemented its role as a pioneering institutional player in the BNB economy. Whether the strategy delivers lasting returns will depend on BNB’s sustained performance — but for now, both the token and its most prominent backer appear to be riding the same powerful wave of momentum.

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