Company Description
Cantor Equity Partners, Inc. (ticker: CEP) is a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) in the Financial Services sector, classified among shell companies. According to company disclosures and SEC filings, CEP was formed as a blank check company sponsored by an affiliate of Cantor Fitzgerald to effect a merger, share exchange, asset acquisition, share purchase, reorganization, or other similar business combination with one or more businesses or entities. Its efforts to identify a prospective target business were not limited to a particular industry or geographic region.
CEP’s Class A ordinary shares began trading on the Nasdaq Global Market under the symbol CEP following its initial public offering. Proceeds from the IPO were placed into a trust account, consistent with the typical SPAC structure in which funds are held while management seeks and negotiates a business combination. The company is described in public communications as a newly organized blank check company sponsored by Cantor Fitzgerald.
Business purpose and SPAC structure
As a SPAC, Cantor Equity Partners, Inc. was created with the primary objective of completing an initial business combination. Company materials state that CEP was formed for the purpose of effecting a merger, share exchange, asset acquisition, share purchase, reorganization, or similar business combination with one or more businesses. The company indicated that it intended to focus on targets in industries where its management team and affiliates believed they had expertise, including financial services, healthcare, real estate services, technology, and software.
In the SPAC model, investors typically purchase units or shares in a company that has no operating business at the time of its IPO. CEP followed this pattern, raising capital and placing it into a trust account to be used in connection with a future business combination, subject to shareholder approval and other customary conditions. SEC filings for CEP describe this structure and the related trust account arrangements.
Business combination with Twenty One Capital, Inc.
Public filings and press releases describe a definitive agreement for a business combination between Cantor Equity Partners, Inc. and Twenty One Capital, Inc. Twenty One is described as a newly formed operating company focused exclusively on Bitcoin-related business lines that, among other things, offer shareholders a differentiated opportunity to gain exposure to Bitcoin through the equity markets. The parties entered into a Business Combination Agreement under which CEP would combine with Twenty One and related entities through a series of mergers.
According to a Business Wire announcement and an 8-K filed by CEP, shareholders of Cantor Equity Partners approved the proposed business combination and related proposals at an extraordinary general meeting. Following shareholder approval and satisfaction or waiver of closing conditions, the combined company would operate as Twenty One Capital, Inc., with its Class A common stock expected to trade on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol XXI. A subsequent press release states that Twenty One’s Class A common stock will begin trading on the NYSE under the ticker XXI after completion of the business combination with CEP.
These disclosures indicate that CEP transitioned from a shell company seeking a target to a vehicle for taking Twenty One public. The business combination structure involved mergers among CEP, a merger subsidiary, and Twenty One Assets, LLC, with the resulting public company referred to in filings as Pubco or Twenty One Capital, Inc.
Role of sponsors and key counterparties
Cantor Equity Partners, Inc. is sponsored by an affiliate of Cantor Fitzgerald. Public materials describe Cantor Fitzgerald as a global financial services and real estate services holding company with a long operating history. The sponsor’s role in CEP includes providing initial capital, supporting the IPO process, and participating in related financing arrangements, such as sponsor loans and exchange agreements referenced in SEC filings.
The business combination with Twenty One involves several notable counterparties. Tether Investments, S.A. de C.V. and iFinex, Inc. (Bitfinex) are identified in the Business Combination Agreement as sellers, and SoftBank (through Stellar Beacon LLC) is referenced for certain limited purposes. Press releases state that at closing, Twenty One will be majority-owned by Tether and Bitfinex, with significant minority ownership by SoftBank Group Corp., alongside PIPE investors, public shareholders of CEP, and the CEP sponsor.
Financing structure and PIPE transactions
Multiple CEP Form 8-K filings describe a series of financing arrangements associated with the proposed business combination. These include:
- Convertible Notes PIPE: Subscription agreements for 1.00% convertible senior secured notes due 2030 in an aggregate principal amount of $486.5 million, including an option that was exercised in full by certain investors and the sponsor.
- Equity PIPE financings: An April equity PIPE for Class A ordinary shares of CEP and a June equity PIPE subscription for additional CEP Class A ordinary shares, with purchase prices payable in cash or Bitcoin, subject to conditions described in the filings.
- Bitcoin purchase arrangements: Agreements under which Tether would purchase Bitcoin with PIPE proceeds and subsequently sell that Bitcoin to Pubco at closing, using specified pricing formulas. A June PIPE Bitcoin Sale and Purchase Agreement outlines how net proceeds from the June equity PIPE would be used to acquire Bitcoin that Pubco would then purchase from Tether.
These financing steps are described in detail in CEP’s 8-K filings and related exhibits, and they are tied to the capital structure and Bitcoin holdings of the combined company.
Transition from CEP to XXI
Press releases and CEP’s December 3, 2025 Form 8-K report that CEP shareholders approved the Business Combination Agreement and related proposals, including amendments to organizational documents and Nasdaq-related share issuance approvals. The same materials state that, following completion of the transactions, the combined company will operate as Twenty One Capital, Inc. and its Class A common stock is expected to trade on the NYSE under the symbol XXI.
A subsequent Business Wire release notes that Twenty One Capital, Inc., described as a Bitcoin-native public company, announced the completion of its business combination with Cantor Equity Partners, Inc. and that Twenty One’s Class A common stock will begin trading on the NYSE under the ticker XXI. This indicates that CEP’s role as an independent SPAC has effectively been superseded by the combined public company trading under the new symbol.
Company status and historical context
Based on the available information, Cantor Equity Partners, Inc. functioned as a SPAC whose primary purpose was to complete a business combination. That combination has been approved by CEP shareholders and, according to public announcements, completed, with the resulting public company operating as Twenty One Capital, Inc. and trading under the symbol XXI on the NYSE. CEP’s historical significance lies in its role as the SPAC that facilitated the listing of Twenty One, a Bitcoin-focused operating company.
Investors researching the ticker CEP are therefore typically looking at the historical SPAC vehicle rather than an ongoing standalone operating business. For current operating information, public disclosures direct attention to Twenty One Capital, Inc. and its filings and announcements.
FAQs about Cantor Equity Partners, Inc. (CEP)
- What is Cantor Equity Partners, Inc. (CEP)?
Cantor Equity Partners, Inc. is described in its public communications as a newly organized blank check company, or SPAC, sponsored by Cantor Fitzgerald. It was formed for the purpose of effecting a merger, share exchange, asset acquisition, share purchase, reorganization, or similar business combination with one or more businesses or entities. - Which sector and industry does CEP belong to?
CEP is classified in the Financial Services sector and is identified among shell companies, reflecting its status as a special purpose acquisition company rather than an operating business. - On which exchange did CEP’s shares trade?
Press releases state that Cantor Equity Partners, Inc.’s Class A ordinary shares were listed on the Nasdaq Global Market and traded under the symbol CEP following its initial public offering. - What was CEP’s business strategy as a SPAC?
CEP’s stated strategy was to identify and complete a business combination with one or more target businesses. Its efforts were not limited to a particular industry or geographic region, although it indicated an intention to focus on sectors such as financial services, healthcare, real estate services, technology, and software where its management and affiliates believed they had expertise. - What business combination did CEP pursue?
CEP entered into a Business Combination Agreement with Twenty One Capital, Inc., Twenty One Assets, LLC, Tether Investments, iFinex (Bitfinex), and an affiliate of SoftBank. The transaction involved mergers among CEP, a merger subsidiary, and Twenty One, resulting in a combined public company referred to as Twenty One Capital, Inc. - What happened to CEP after the business combination?
According to CEP’s Form 8-K and Business Wire announcements, CEP shareholders approved the business combination, and a subsequent press release states that Twenty One Capital, Inc. completed its business combination with CEP. Following completion, the combined company operates as Twenty One Capital, Inc., with its Class A common stock trading on the NYSE under the ticker XXI. - Who sponsored Cantor Equity Partners, Inc.?
Public disclosures describe CEP as sponsored by an affiliate of Cantor Fitzgerald. The sponsor participated in various financing and support arrangements related to CEP’s IPO and the subsequent business combination. - What role did Tether and SoftBank play in the CEP transaction?
The Business Combination Agreement and related press releases state that at closing, Twenty One will be majority-owned by Tether and Bitfinex, with significant minority ownership by SoftBank Group Corp. Tether also entered into agreements to purchase Bitcoin using PIPE proceeds and sell that Bitcoin to Pubco at closing. - Does CEP still trade under the ticker CEP?
The provided materials indicate that, after the completion of the business combination, the combined company’s Class A common stock trades on the NYSE under the symbol XXI. The information focuses on the new listing and does not describe ongoing trading of CEP as a separate Nasdaq-listed SPAC following completion. - Where can investors find more information about the combined company?
Press releases and SEC filings reference a registration statement on Form S-4, proxy statements, and other documents filed with the SEC by CEP, Twenty One, and related entities. These documents, available through the SEC’s EDGAR system, provide additional detail on the structure, governance, and risk factors of the combined company.