Block, Inc.
What happened: Block was up 8.31% as of this writing on the Robinhood
The company's inclusion in the coveted S&P 500 index, seen as the barometer of the U.S. stock market, will become effective July 23, according to a press release shared Friday.
Why It Matters: Block, formerly known as Square, was founded in 2009 and specializes in point-of-sale systems and payment solutions. It gradually expanded its portfolio, placing a special focus on cryptocurrencies, particularly Bitcoin BTC/USD.
Today, its offerings include the 'Bitcoin-only' Cash App digital wallet service, the self-custody Bitcoin wallet Bitkey, the Bitcoin mining product suite Proto and the Bluetooth-powered messaging service Bitchat.
The firm announced a new strategy, effective April 2024, wherein it would allocate 10% of its monthly Bitcoin-related gross profit to purchase additional Bitcoins. It holds a total of 8,584 BTC, worth over $1 billion, as of this writing, according to Bitcoin Treasuries.
Price Action: Shares of Block closed 2.95% higher at $72.82 during Friday's regular trading session. The stock has risen 81% over the last month. According to data from Benzinga Pro. Year-to-date, the coin has lost over 14%.
The stock exhibited a very high growth score-a measure of the stock's combined historical expansion in earnings and revenue across multiple periods.
