According to a recent conference call, Méliuz Chairman Israel Salmen likened Bitcoin to a “nuclear reactor” after the company’s stock saw a sudden surge.
The fintech firm won shareholder approval to become Brazil’s first Bitcoin treasury company. Shareholders backed the shift by a large margin.
Salmen said the move marks a new path for Méliuz, one that ties the firm’s health directly to the performance of Bitcoin per share. It was a bold turn that has already caught the eye of investors at home and abroad.
Méliuz Builds Bitcoin Treasury
Based on reports, Méliuz paid about $28.4 million last week to acquire 274.52 BTC. Those coins join an existing stash of 45.78 BTC, bringing the total to 320 BTC.
Salmen noted that the firm plans to add more coins in an “accretive way,” using different financial tools. It’s not a hedge against market swings, he said.
Bitcoin now sits at the heart of the company’s balance sheet. Every new purchase should add real value to each share.
“Bitcoin is like a nuclear reactor that has been installed in our balance sheet.” – Meliuz (CASH3BZ, mkt cap $160M), Brazil’s first Bitcoin treasury company, Chairman Israel Salmen on the conference call pic.twitter.com/vpRw8z6Nbj
— matthew sigel, recovering CFA (@matthew_sigel) May 19, 2025
Stock Rally Fuels Interest
According to data shared by VanEck’s Matthew Sigel, Méliuz stock jumped from R$3.00 in mid‑February 2025 to R$10.70 by mid‑May.
Trading volume spiked in April, giving the rally fresh muscle. That kind of price move turns heads. Some traders say it’s a sign that linking the stock to Bitcoin could pay off.
Others warn that a pullback in Bitcoin would hit Méliuz hard. Still, the stock run has put the firm on the map.
Peers See Similar Gains
Based on market reports, Semler Scientific’s stock climbed 40% over a month, rising $12.53 to close at $42.36 on May 19.
The US‑listed firm said it posted a 22% BTC yield year‑to‑date as of May 12, adding 510 BTC and $52 million in dollar gains. And in a broader move, Strategy saw its share price rise 26% from $317 to $400 as of May 19.
Strategy remains the largest corporate Bitcoin holder, controlling 576,230 BTC valued at roughly $59.57 billion. The company reported a gain of 73,120 BTC year‑to‑date, a 12% increase, and 140,538 BTC gains in 2024, equal to 24% of its holdings or about $13 billion in paper profit.
El Salvador’s Crypto Windfall
According to social media updates from President Nayib Bukele, El Salvador’s national Bitcoin fund now holds 6,181 BTC. The coins cost $287.1 million when bought, and their value today tops $640 million.
Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView
