Investors moved quickly to sell after Strive, Inc. closed its landmark deal to acquire Semler Scientific in an all-stock transaction — a sign of shareholder unease about dilution even as the combined company becomes a major corporate Bitcoin holder. What happened - Semler stockholders approved the all-stock acquisition this week, clearing the final regulatory and shareholder hurdle. - The deal folds Semler’s 5,048.1 BTC into Strive’s balance sheet. Including Strive’s recent buys (123 BTC at a $91,561 cost basis plus an earlier 101.8 BTC addition on Jan. 4), the merged treasury holds roughly 12,797.9–12,800 BTC. - That total vaults Strive past Tesla and Trump Media to become the 11th-largest corporate Bitcoin holder in the world. Why it matters - Strive’s management says the acquisition strengthens its Bitcoin strategy by expanding yield-generating capacity. CEO Matt Cole framed the deal as “making history” and said it would lift Strive’s Bitcoin yield to north of 15% by Q1 2026. - The company published a 12-month roadmap to monetize Semler’s legacy healthcare assets and funnel proceeds toward deleveraging. Key targets include retiring Semler’s $100 million convertible note and a $20 million Bitcoin-backed loan from Coinbase. - Post-deleveraging, Strive plans to scale BTC exposure using preferred equity rather than traditional debt. Management argues this reduces the risk of forced selling during market stress, since preferred equity does not have the same fixed repayment timeline as debt. Market reaction and context - Despite the strategic rationale, investors sold both tickers sharply on dilution concerns. Strive (ASST) plunged to a low of $0.90 before settling near $0.97, an 11.82% drop. Semler Scientific (SMLR) fell about 10% to $20.34, per Google Finance. - Bitcoin itself bucked recent weakness, rising 3.55% over 24 hours to about $95,036.57, according to CoinMarketCap. Strive now joins the upper ranks of corporate Bitcoin treasuries, but the market’s initial response highlights the tension between aggressive BTC accumulation and shareholder dilution. How effectively Strive executes its 12-month plan — monetizing legacy assets, retiring debt, and deploying preferred equity — will be key to whether investors regain confidence. Disclaimer: This article is informational and not investment advice. Trading or holding cryptocurrencies involves substantial risk; do your own research. © 2026 AMBCrypto Read more AI-generated news on: undefined/news

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