Shareholders Approve Strive–Semler Scientific Merger, Creating Major Bitcoin Treasury Player

Shareholders of Semler Scientific (NASDAQ: SMLR) have approved the company’s proposed all-stock acquisition by Strive Inc. (NASDAQ: ASST), clearing a major hurdle in a deal that will transform the combined company into one of the largest publicly traded holders of bitcoin.

The transaction, first announced in September, positions Strive as the 11th-largest public bitcoin treasury holder once the merger formally closes. Despite the approval, investor reaction was muted. Shares of Strive, which trades on the Nasdaq under the ticker ASST, fell nearly 13% following the announcement, recently changing hands around $0.96. Semler Scientific shares dropped about 11% on the day, trading just above $20. Semler currently holds 5,048.1 bitcoin in its corporate treasury. Combined with Strive’s 7,626 bitcoin, the merged company will control a bitcoin position valued at roughly $1.1 billion at current market prices.

Strive also disclosed that it recently purchased an additional 123 bitcoin at an average price of $91,561 per coin, further increasing its exposure ahead of the deal’s close. Based on aggregated holdings, the combined company would surpass the bitcoin treasuries of Trump Media & Technology Group and Block Inc., according to data tracked by Bitcoin Treasuries, though the transaction has not yet formally closed.Before its pivot toward digital assets, Semler Scientific was best known for its healthcare technology products, including its FDA-approved QuantaFlo cardiovascular testing device. The company became an early corporate adopter of bitcoin, emerging as the second U.S. public company, after Strategy (NASDAQ: MSTR), to designate bitcoin as a primary treasury reserve asset.

Strive, founded in 2022 by Vivek Ramaswamy and Anson Fredericks, positioned itself as an “anti-ESG” investment firm and has attracted backing from high-profile investors including Peter Thiel, JD Vance, and Bill Ackman. The firm adopted bitcoin as a treasury reserve asset in 2024 and later merged with Asset Entities before announcing its plans to acquire Semler. While shareholder approval marks a significant milestone, the market’s initial reaction highlights ongoing skepticism about bitcoin-focused corporate strategies amid price volatility. Once completed, however, the Strive–Semler combination will represent one of the most prominent examples yet of a public company built around a large-scale digital asset treasury.

About Strive Inc.

Strive Inc. (NASDAQ: ASST) is an investment and financial services firm founded in 2022 with a focus on long-term value creation and alternative capital strategies. The company has adopted bitcoin as a core treasury reserve asset and pursues acquisitions aligned with its investment philosophy.

About Semler Scientific

Semler Scientific (NASDAQ: SMLR) is a healthcare technology company focused on developing and marketing medical devices and software designed to detect and monitor chronic diseases. In recent years, the company has gained attention for its adoption of bitcoin as a primary treasury reserve asset.

At the time of publishing, Stocks.News does not hold positions in companies mentioned in the article.