Cantor Equity Partners I, Inc. 10-Q

Item 2. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations. References to the “Company,” “our,” “us” or “we” refer to Cantor Equity Partners I, Inc. The following discussion and analysis of the Company’s financial condition and results of operations should be read in conjunction with the unaudited condensed financial statements and the notes thereto contained elsewhere in this Report (as defined below). Certain information contained in the discussion and analysis set forth below includes forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q (this “Report”) includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”). We have based these forward-looking statements on our current expectations and projections about future events. These forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and assumptions about us that may cause our actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, levels of activity, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terminology such as “may,” “should,” “could,” “would,” “expect,” “plan,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “continue,” or the negative of such terms or other similar expressions. Such statements include, but are not limited to, possible business combinations and the financing thereof, and related matters, as well as all other statements other than statements of historical fact included in this Form 10-Q. Factors that might cause or contribute to such a discrepancy include, but are not limited to, those described in our other Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) filings. Overview We are a blank check company incorporated in the Cayman Islands on November 11, 2020 for the purpose of effecting a merger, share exchange, asset acquisition, share purchase, reorganization or similar business combination with one or more businesses (the “Business Combination”). Our sponsor is Cantor EP Holdings I, LLC (the “Sponsor”). Although we are not limited in our search for target businesses to a particular industry or sector for the purpose of consummating the Business Combination, we are focusing our search on companies operating in the financial services, healthcare, real estate services, technology and software industries. We are an early stage and emerging growth company and, as such, we are subject to all of the risks associated with early stage and emerging growth companies. Our registration statement for our initial public offering (the “Initial Public Offering”) became effective on December 20, 2024. On January 8, 2025, we consummated the Initial Public Offering of 20,000,000 Class A ordinary shares, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Class A ordinary shares” and such Class A ordinary shares issued in the Initial Public Offering, the “Public Shares”), at a purchase price of $10.00 per Public Share, generating proceeds of $200,000,000. Simultaneously with the closing of the Initial Public Offering, we consummated the sale of 500,000 Class A ordinary shares (the “Private Placement Shares”) at a price of $10.00 per Private Placement Share to the Sponsor in a private placement (the “Private Placement”), generating gross proceeds of $5,000,000. Following the closing of the Initial Public Offering and sale of the Private Placement Shares on January 8, 2025, an amount of $200,000,000 ($10.00 per share) from the net proceeds of the Initial Public Offering and the Private Placement was placed in a trust account (the “Trust Account”) located in the United States with Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company (“Continental”) acting as trustee. The funds in the Trust Account were initially held in an account at J.P. Morgan Chase Bank, N.A. and on January 9, 2025, were transferred to an account at CF Secured, LLC (“CF Secured”), an affiliate of the Sponsor. The Trust Account may be invested only in U.S. government securities, within the meaning set forth in Section 2(a)(16) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “Investment Company Act”), with a maturity of 185 days or less or in any open-ended investment company that holds itself out as a money market fund selected by us meeting the conditions of paragraphs (d)(2), (d)(3) and (d)(4) of Rule 2a-7 of the Investment Company Act, or held as cash or cash items (including in demand deposit accounts) at a bank as determined by us, until the earlier of: (i) the completion of the Business Combination and (ii) the distribution of the Trust Account, as described below. 19 We have until January 8, 2027 (24 months from the closing of the Initial Public Offering), or until such earlier liquidation date as our board of directors may approve or such later date as our shareholders may approve pursuant to the Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association of the Company (the “Combination Period”), to consummate the Business Combination. If we are unable to complete the Business Combination by the end of the Combination Period, we will (i) cease all operations except for the purpose of winding up, (ii) as promptly as reasonably possible but not more than ten business days thereafter, redeem the Public Shares, at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the Trust Account including interest earned on the funds held in the Trust Account and not previously released to the Company to pay taxes, divided by the number of then outstanding Public Shares, which redemption will completely extinguish public shareholders’ rights as shareholders (including the right to receive further liquidating distributions, if any), subject to applicable law, and (iii) as promptly as reasonably possible following such redemption, subject to the approval of our remaining shareholders and our board of directors, dissolve and liquidate, subject, in each case, to our obligations under Cayman Islands law to provide for claims of creditors and the requirements of other applicable law. On January 24, 2024, the SEC adopted the new rules and regulations for special purpose acquisition companies (“SPACs”), which became effective on July 1, 2024 (the “2024 SPAC Rules”). The 2024 SPAC Rules require, among other matters, (i) additional disclosures relating to SPAC business combination transactions; (ii) additional disclosures relating to dilution and to conflicts of interest involving sponsors and their affiliates in both SPAC initial public offerings and business combination transactions; (iii) additional disclosures regarding projections included in SEC filings in connection with proposed business combination transactions; and (iv) the requirement that both the SPAC and its target company be co-registrants for business combination registration statements. In addition, the SEC’s adopting release provided guidance describing circumstances in which a SPAC could become subject to regulation under the Investment Company Act, including its duration, asset composition, business purpose, and the activities of the SPAC and its management team in furtherance of such goals. The 2024 SPAC Rules may materially affect our ability to negotiate and complete our Business Combination and may increase the costs and time related thereto. In March 2024, the SEC adopted final rules relating to The Enhancement and Standardization of Climate-Related Disclosures for Investors , that would require registrants to provide climate-related disclosures in registration statements and certain periodic reports. The final rules set forth requirements for disclosure of material climate-related risks, mitigation activities, targets and goals, and governance. The rules also require disclosure of certain greenhouse gas emissions metrics and attestation of emissions disclosures. Subsequent to the issuance of the final rules, in April 2024, the SEC has released an order staying the final rules pending judicial review of all of the petitions challenging the rules and in March 2025, the SEC voted to end its defense of the rules. We are continuing to monitor the developments pertaining to the rules. However, if these reporting requirements are implemented following the completion of judicial review, they may significantly increase the complexity of our periodic reporting as a U.S. public company. On July 16, 2025, we entered into a business combination agreement (the “Business Combination Agreement”), with BSTR Holdings, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Pubco”), BSTR Intermediate, a Cayman Islands exempted company (“CEPO Merger Sub”), BSTR Holdings (Cayman), a Cayman Islands exempted company (the “Seller”), BSTR Newco, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company and a wholly owned subsidiary of the Seller (“Newco”), PEMS Sub A, Inc., a Delaware corporation and a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company (“CEPO Subsidiary A”), PEMS Sub B, Inc., a Delaware corporation and a wholly owned subsidiary of CEPO Subsidiary A (“CEPO Subsidiary B”) and PEMS Merger Sub C, Inc., a Delaware corporation and a wholly owned subsidiary of CEPO Subsidiary B (“Newco Merger Sub”). Pursuant to the Business Combination Agreement, and subject to the terms and conditions set forth therein, upon the consummation of the transactions contemplated thereby, (a) we will merge with and into CEPO Merger Sub, with CEPO Merger Sub continuing as the surviving entity (the “CEPO Merger”), and with our shareholders (i) holding our Class B ordinary shares, par value $0.0001 per share (“Class B ordinary shares”), receiving one Class A ordinary share for each Class B ordinary share held by such shareholder immediately prior to the CEPO Merger, and (ii) receiving one share of Class A common stock, par value $0.01 per share, of Pubco (“Pubco Class A Stock”) for each Class A ordinary share held by such shareholder at the time of the CEPO Merger, and (b) at least two hours after the CEPO Merger, Newco Merger Sub will merge with and into Newco, with Newco continuing as the surviving company (the “Newco Merger”, and together with the CEPO Merger, the “Mergers”), and with (i) the Seller receiving shares of Pubco Class A Stock and Class B common stock, par value $0.01 per share, of Pubco in exchange for its membership interests in Newco (the “Newco Interests”), and (ii) the Newco Equity PIPE Investors (as defined below) converting their Newco Interests into non-voting units of Newco (the “Newco Exchange Interests”), which Newco Exchange Interests shall be exchangeable for an equal number of shares of Pubco Class A Stock or at Pubco’s election, the cash equivalent. As a result of the Mergers and the other transactions contemplated by the Business Combination Agreement (the “Transactions”), CEPO Merger Sub will become a wholly owned subsidiary of Pubco, CEPO Subsidiary B will become the managing member of Newco, and Pubco will become a publicly traded company. 20 Contemporaneously with the execution of the Business Combination Agreement, (a) we and Pubco entered into subscription agreements (the “July Convertible Notes Subscription Agreements”) with certain investors (the “July Convertible Note Investors”), pursuant to which the July Convertible Note Investors have agreed to purchase, in a private placement, $500,000,000 aggregate principal amount of 1.00% convertible senior secured notes due five years after the closing date of the Transactions (“Convertible Notes”) to be issued pursuant to and on the terms set forth in an indenture (the “Indenture”), (b) we and Pubco entered into a subscription agreement with an investor, pursuant to which such investor has agreed to purchase, in a private placement, shares of Pubco’s 7.00% perpetual convertible preferred stock (the “Preferred Stock”) to be issued by Pubco pursuant to and on the terms set forth in a certificate of designations with an aggregate principal amount of $30,000,000 at $85.00 per share, (c) we and Pubco entered into subscription agreements with certain investors (the “CEPO Cash Equity PIPE Investors”), pursuant to which the CEPO Cash Equity PIPE Investors have agreed to purchase, in a private placement immediately prior to the CEPO Merger, 40,000,000 Class A ordinary shares, at a purchase price of $10.00 per share payable in cash, for an aggregate purchase price of $400,000,000, (d) we and Pubco entered into subscription agreements with certain investors (the “CEPO Bitcoin Equity PIPE Investors”), pursuant to which the CEPO Bitcoin Equity PIPE Investors have agreed to purchase, in a private placement immediately prior to the CEPO Merger, a certain number of Class A ordinary shares, at $10.00 per share, in exchange for 4,156.11 Bitcoin in the aggregate, with the number of Class A ordinary shares to be issued to each CEPO BTC Equity PIPE Investor being equal to (i) the product of (A) the number of Bitcoin contributed by such CEPO BTC Equity PIPE Investor multiplied by (B) the U.S. dollar price of one Bitcoin as determined by the average of the CME CF Bitcoin Reference Rate - New York Variant for the ten-day period ending on the second day prior to the closing date of the Transactions (the “Closing Bitcoin Price”), and then divided by (ii) $10.00, and (e) we, Pubco and Newco entered into subscription agreements with certain investors (the “Newco Equity PIPE Investors”), pursuant to which the Newco Equity PIPE Investors have agreed to purchase, in a private placement immediately prior to the Newco Merger, a certain number of Newco Interests, at $10.00 per interest, in exchange for 865 Bitcoin in the aggregate, with the number of Newco Interests to be issued to each Newco Equity PIPE Investor being equal to (i) the product of (A) the number of Bitcoin contributed by such Newco Equity PIPE Investor multiplied by (B) the Closing Bitcoin Price, and then divided by (ii) $10.00. Pubco has also granted the July Convertible Note Investors options to purchase (i) additional Convertible Notes in an aggregate principal amount of up to $125,000,000, exercisable within fifteen days following the date of the July Convertible Notes Subscription Agreements (the “First Convertible Notes Option”), (ii) additional Convertible Notes in an aggregate principal amount of up to $125,000,000, exercisable within thirty days following the date of the July Convertible Notes Subscription Agreements, and (iii) Preferred Stock in an aggregate amount of up to $320,000,000, exercisable within thirty days following the date of the July Convertible Notes Subscription Agreements. As of August 1, 2025, certain July Convertible Notes Investors exercised their pro rata share of the First Convertible Notes Option (including with respect to the unexercised portion of other July Convertible Notes Investors) to purchase additional Convertible Notes in an aggregate principal amount of $34,870,000. Simultaneously with the execution of the Business Combination Agreement, we, Pubco and the Sponsor entered into a Sponsor Support Agreement pursuant to which the Sponsor, among other things, agreed to vote its Class A ordinary shares and Class B ordinary shares in favor of the adoption and approval of the Business Combination Agreement and the transactions contemplated thereby. Certain of our existing agreements will be amended or amended and restated in connection with the Transactions. On August 7, 2025, we and Pubco entered into subscription agreements with certain investors (the “August Convertible Note Investors”), pursuant to which the August Convertible Note Investors have agreed to purchase, in a private placement, $30,500,000 aggregate principal amount of Convertible Notes to be issued pursuant to and on the terms set forth in the Indenture. For more information regarding the Transactions, refer to our filings with the SEC, including the Current Reports on Form 8-K filed by us with the SEC on July 17, 2025, July 22, 2025 and August 7, 2025, and the other filings we and Pubco may make from time to time with the SEC. Liquidity and Capital Resources As of June 30, 2025 and December 31, 2024, we had $25,000 and $0, respectively, of cash in our operating account. As of June 30, 2025 and December 31, 2024, we had a working capital deficit of approximately $75,000 and approximately $299,000, respectively. As of June 30, 2025 and December 31, 2024, approximately $3,316,000 and $0, respectively, of interest income earned on funds held in the Trust Account was available to pay taxes, if any. Our liquidity needs through June 30, 2025 have been satisfied through a contribution of $25,000 from the Sponsor in exchange for the issuance of our Class B ordinary shares, a loan of approximately $134,000 from the Sponsor pursuant to a promissory note (the “Pre-IPO Note”), the proceeds from the consummation of the Private Placement with the Sponsor not held in the Trust Account and the Sponsor Loan (as defined below). We fully repaid the Pre-IPO Note upon completion of the Initial Public Offering. In addition, in order to finance transaction costs in connection with a Business Combination, the Sponsor has committed to loan us up to $1,750,000 to fund our expenses relating to investigating and selecting a target business and other working capital requirements (the “Sponsor Loan”), of which approximately $244,000 and $0 has been drawn by us as of June 30, 2025 and December 31, 2024, respectively. 21 If the Sponsor Loan is insufficient, the Sponsor or an affiliate of the Sponsor, or certain of our officers and directors may, but are not obligated to, provide us additional loans (“Working Capital Loans”). As of both June 30, 2025 and December 31, 2024, we did not have any borrowings under the Working Capital Loans. Based on the foregoing, management believes that we will have sufficient working capital and borrowing capacity from the Sponsor to meet our needs through the earlier of the consummation of the Business Combination or one year from the date of this Report. Over this time period, we will be using these funds for paying existing accounts payable, identifying and evaluating prospective target businesses, performing due diligence on prospective target businesses, paying for travel expenditures, selecting the target business to merge with or acquire, and structuring, negotiating and consummating the Business Combination. Results of Operations Our entire activity from inception through June 30, 2025 related to our formation, the Initial Public Offering, and to our efforts toward locating and completing a suitable Business Combination. We have neither engaged in any operations nor generated any revenues to date. We will not generate any operating revenues until after completion of the Business Combination. We have generated non-operating income in the form of interest income on amounts held in the Trust Account. We expect to incur increased expenses as a result of being a public company (for legal, financial reporting, accounting and auditing compliance), as well as for due diligence expenses. For the three months ended June 30, 2025, we had net income of approximately $1,955,000, which consisted of approximately $2,130,000 of interest income on investments held in the Trust Account, partially offset by approximately $145,000 of general and administrative expenses, and $30,000 of administrative expenses paid to the Sponsor. For the three months ended June 30, 2024, we had a net loss of approximately $43,000, which resulted from approximately $43,000 of general and administrative expenses. For the six months ended June 30, 2025, we had net income of approximately $2,949,000, which consisted of approximately $3,316,000 of interest income on investments held in the Trust Account, partially offset by approximately $309,000 of general and administrative expenses, and approximately $58,000 of administrative expenses paid to the Sponsor. For the six months ended June 30, 2024, we had a net loss of approximately $43,000, which resulted from approximately $43,000 of general and administrative expenses. Factors That May Adversely Affect Our Results of Operations Our results of operations and our ability to complete the Business Combination may be adversely affected by various factors that could cause economic uncertainty and volatility in the financial markets, many of which are beyond our control. Our results of operations and our ability to consummate the Business Combination could be impacted by, among other things, downturns in the financial markets or in economic conditions, fluctuations in interest rates, and geopolitical instability, such as the military conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East. We cannot at this time predict the likelihood of one or more of the above events, their duration or magnitude or the extent to which they may negatively impact our business and our ability to complete the Business Combination. Contractual Obligations Business Combination Marketing Agreement We engaged Cantor Fitzgerald & Co. (“CF&Co.”), an affiliate of the Sponsor, as an advisor in connection with the Business Combination to assist us in holding meetings with our shareholders to discuss the potential Business Combination and the target business’ attributes, introduce us to potential investors that are interested in purchasing our securities and assist us with our press releases and public filings in connection with the Business Combination. We will pay CF&Co. a cash fee for such services upon the consummation of the Business Combination in an amount of $7,000,000, which is equal to 3.5% of the gross proceeds of the Initial Public Offering. 22 Related Party Loans In connection with the Initial Public Offering, the Sponsor has agreed to lend us up to $3,000,000 pursuant to a promissory note (the “Sponsor Note”) in connection with the consummation of the Business Combination, an extension of time for us to consummate the Business Combination or our liquidation (each, a “Redemption Event”), such that an amount equal to $0.15 per Public Share being redeemed in connection with the applicable Redemption Event will be added to the Trust Account and paid to the holders of the applicable redeemed shares on such Redemption Event. The Sponsor Note does not bear interest and is repayable by us to the Sponsor upon consummation of the Business Combination; provided that, at any time beginning 60 days after the date of the Initial Public Offering, at the Sponsor’s option, all or any portion of the amount outstanding under the Sponsor Note may be converted into Class A ordinary shares at a conversion price of $10.00 per share. If we are unable to consummate the Business Combination, the Sponsor Note would be repaid only out of funds held outside of the Trust Account. The Sponsor has waived any claims against the Trust Account in connection with the Sponsor Note. In order to finance transaction costs in connection with an intended Business Combination, the Sponsor has committed up to $1,750,000 in the Sponsor Loan to be provided to us to fund expenses relating to investigating and selecting a target business and other working capital requirements, including $10,000 per month for office space, administrative and shared personnel support services that will be paid to the Sponsor, after the Initial Public Offering and prior to the Business Combination. The Sponsor Loan does not bear interest and will be repaid by us to the Sponsor upon consummation of the Business Combination; provided that, at the Sponsor’s option, at any time beginning 60 days after the date of the Initial Public Offering, all or any portion of the amount outstanding under the Sponsor Loan may be converted into Class A ordinary shares at a conversion price of $10.00 per share. Otherwise, the Sponsor Loan would be repaid only out of funds held outside the Trust Account. If the Sponsor Loan is insufficient, the Sponsor or an affiliate of the Sponsor, or certain of our officers and directors may, but are not obligated to, provide us Working Capital Loans. As of June 30, 2025 and December 31, 2024, we had approximately $244,000 and $0, respectively, outstanding under the Sponsor Loan. As of both June 30, 2025 and December 31, 2024, we had no borrowings under the Working Capital Loans or the Sponsor Note. Investment Held in the Trust Account Starting on January 9, 2025, our investment in a money market fund has been held in the Trust Account that is custodied by CF Secured with Continental acting as trustee. Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates We have identified the following as our critical accounting policies: Use of Estimates The preparation of our unaudited condensed financial statements and related disclosures in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, income and expenses, and the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities, in our unaudited condensed financial statements. These accounting estimates require the use of assumptions about matters, some of which are highly uncertain at the time of estimation. Management bases its estimates on historical experience and on various other assumptions it believes to be reasonable under the circumstances, the results of which form the basis for making judgments, and we evaluate these estimates on an ongoing basis. To the extent actual experience differs from the assumptions used, our condensed balance sheets, unaudited condensed statements of operations, unaudited condensed statements of shareholders’ equity (deficit) and unaudited condensed statements of cash flows could be materially affected. We believe that the following accounting policies involve a higher degree of judgment and complexity. 23 Emerging Growth Company Section 102(b)(1) of the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012 (the “JOBS Act”) exempts emerging growth companies from being required to comply with new or revised financial accounting standards until private companies (that is, those that have not had a registration statement under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”) declared effective or do not have a class of securities registered under the Exchange Act) are required to comply with the new or revised financial accounting standards. The JOBS Act provides that a company can elect to opt out of the extended transition period and comply with the requirements that apply to non-emerging growth companies but any such election to opt out is irrevocable. We have elected not to opt out of such extended transition period which means that when a standard is issued or revised and it has different application dates for public or private companies, we, as an emerging growth company, can adopt the new or revised standard at the time private companies adopt the new or revised standard. This may make comparison of our unaudited condensed financial statements with another public company, which is neither an emerging growth company nor an emerging growth company that has opted out of using the extended transition period, difficult or impossible because of the potential differences in accounting standard used. Class A Ordinary Shares Subject to Possible Redemption We account for the Class A ordinary shares subject to possible redemption in accordance with the guidance in ASC 480, Distinguishing Liabilities from Equity . Class A ordinary shares subject to mandatory redemption (if any) are classified as liability instruments and measured at fair value. Shares of conditionally redeemable Class A ordinary shares (including Class A ordinary shares that feature redemption rights that are either within the control of the holder or subject to redemption upon the occurrence of uncertain events not solely within our control) are classified as temporary equity. At all other times, Class A ordinary shares are classified as shareholders’ equity. All of the Public Shares feature certain redemption rights that are considered to be outside of our control and subject to the occurrence of uncertain future events. Accordingly, as of June 30, 2025 and December 31, 2024, 20,000,000 and 0 Class A ordinary shares subject to possible redemption, respectively, are presented as temporary equity outside of the shareholders’ deficit section of our condensed balance sheets. We recognize any subsequent changes in redemption value immediately as they occur and adjust the carrying value of redeemable Class A ordinary shares to the redemption value at the end of each reporting period. Immediately upon the closing of the Initial Public Offering, we recognized the accretion from initial book value to redemption amount value of redeemable Class A ordinary shares. This method would view the end of the reporting period as if it were also the redemption date for the security. The change in the carrying value of redeemable Class A ordinary shares also resulted in charges against Additional paid-in capital and Accumulated deficit. Net Income (Loss) Per Ordinary Share We comply with the accounting and disclosure requirements of ASC 260, Earnings Per Share . Net income (loss) per ordinary share is computed by dividing net income (loss) applicable to shareholders by the weighted average number of ordinary shares outstanding for the applicable periods. We apply the two-class method in calculating earnings per share and allocate net income (loss) pro rata to Class A ordinary shares subject to possible redemption, nonredeemable Class A ordinary shares and Class B ordinary shares. Accretion associated with the redeemable Class A ordinary shares is excluded from earnings per share as the redemption value is not in excess of the fair value. See Note 2—“Summary of Significant Accounting Policies” to our unaudited condensed financial statements in Part I, Item 1 of this Report for additional information regarding these critical accounting policies and other significant accounting policies. Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements and Contractual Obligations As of June 30, 2025, we did not have any off-balance sheet arrangements as defined in Item 303(a)(4)(ii) of Regulation S-K and did not have any commitments or contractual obligations. Item 3. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk. We are a smaller reporting company as defined by Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act and are not required to provide the information otherwise required under this Item. 24