Jack Ma-affiliated Yunfeng Financial Buys $44M ETH Stake for Web3 Expansion Strategy

Key Insights:

• Hong Kong-based Yunfeng Financial purchased 10,000 ETH, worth approximately $44 million, as strategic reserve assets.
• The company manages $12.3 billion in assets and plans expansion into Web3, AI, and digital currencies.
• Corporate ETH holdings surged 384% from 916,268 to 4.4 million tokens between June and September 2025.

Yunfeng Financial Group Limited, a Hong Kong investment firm affiliated with Alibaba founder Jack Ma, purchased 10,000 ETH worth $44 million as part of a strategic expansion into Web3 and digital assets.

The company announced the Ethereum acquisition on Sept. 2 through a voluntary disclosure to Hong Kong Exchange shareholders. Yunfeng funded the purchase through its internal cash reserves, which totaled $12.3 billion as of the 2024 financial results.

The move positioned Yunfeng among a growing cohort of traditional financial institutions adopting cryptocurrency treasury strategies. The firm joined corporate Ethereum adoption that accelerated dramatically during the summer of 2025.

Corporate ETH Holdings Surge 384% in Three Months

Corporate Ethereum treasuries experienced explosive growth from 916,268 ETH to 4.4 million tokens between June 1 and Sept. 2, according to Strategic ETH Reserve data.

The 384% increase represented approximately $13.2 billion in additional corporate ETH accumulation during the three months.

Yunfeng’s 10,000 ETH purchase contributed to the institutional adoption wave that transformed corporate treasury strategies. The firm’s $44 million investment reflected growing confidence in Ethereum’s role as a strategic reserve asset beyond Bitcoin.

The surge occurred as traditional financial institutions recognized Ethereum’s utility for decentralized finance applications and smart contract functionality. Corporate treasurers viewed ETH as infrastructure for Web3 operations rather than purely speculative investment.

Companies across multiple sectors participated in the ETH treasury trend, creating sustained demand pressure on Ethereum’s circulating supply. The institutional accumulation removed significant ETH quantities from active trading, supporting price stability expectations.

Web3 Strategy Drives Digital Asset Adoption

Yunfeng’s ETH purchase supported a comprehensive Web3 expansion strategy announced in July 2025. The firm is committed to frontier investments, including Web3, Real-World Asset tokenization, digital currencies, ESG Net-Zero Assets, and artificial intelligence development.

The board of directors approved the Ethereum acquisition as infrastructure support for Real World Assets tokenization activities. Yunfeng planned to leverage ETH’s smart contract capabilities for client services, integrating traditional finance with blockchain technology.

The company positioned ETH holdings as essential for Web3 technological innovation and comprehensive finance-technology integration. Yunfeng expected the cryptocurrency to facilitate improved client service experiences and enhanced financial autonomy for customers.

The firm will also explore potential ETH applications within its insurance business operations and innovative Web3-compatible business scenarios. These use cases extended beyond treasury diversification into operational cryptocurrency integration.

Asian Crypto Treasuries Traction

The Hong Kong-based company’s ETH purchase occurred within regulatory frameworks allowing cryptocurrency investments by licensed financial institutions.

Yunfeng complied with Hong Kong Exchange listing rules while maintaining flexibility for additional digital asset acquisitions.

The board highlighted the risks associated with cryptocurrency market volatility in shareholder communications while maintaining its commitment to strategic Web3 positioning. Yunfeng acknowledged ETH price fluctuations from macroeconomic and regulatory changes but proceeded with a long-term digital asset strategy.

Further, Yunfeng emerged as another Chinese financial institution to adopt an Ethereum treasury strategy, positioning itself ahead of regional competitors.

China-based chip designer Intchains Group holds 8,816 ETH, worth approximately $38.2 million, through a NASDAQ listing.

The company’s move could catalyze broader institutional adoption of Ethereum treasury strategies in Asia. It adds to Metaplanet’s recent acquisition of 1,009 BTC, totaling 20,000 BTC in its treasury, along with a plan to acquire up to 210,000 BTC by 2027.

Combined, these movements of crypto acquisition directed to treasuries could boost Asian corporate adoption.

However, Yunfeng’s strategic positioning validated Ethereum’s utility beyond Bitcoin’s store-of-value narrative.

The firm’s Web3 expansion strategy highlighted ETH’s operational capabilities for smart contract integration and decentralized application development across Asian markets.

The ETH treasury adoption reinforced the acceleration of corporate recognition of cryptocurrency infrastructure potential.