In a landmark move for Brazil's financial sector, fintech company Méliuz has become the first publicly traded firm in the country to allocate a portion of its cash reserves to bitcoin treasury strategy. The company announced this week it has invested $4.1 million to acquire 45.72 bitcoins, representing 10% of its total cash holdings.
Strategic Bitcoin Allocation for Long-Term Growth
Méliuz's board of directors approved the new treasury policy, positioning bitcoin as:
- A long-term store of value
- An alternative to traditional cash reserves
- A potential primary treasury asset in future expansions
The company purchased the bitcoins at an average price of $90,926 per coin, with the investment representing approximately:
- 10% of current cash reserves ($41 million total)
- 0.07% of the company's current $270 million market cap
👉 Discover how leading companies are adopting bitcoin treasury strategies
Creating a Bitcoin-Focused Infrastructure
To support this strategic shift, Méliuz established two key organizational structures:
Bitcoin Strategic Committee
Tasked with studying:- Expanding the bitcoin allocation
- Implementing bitcoin as a primary reserve asset
- Developing corporate bitcoin policies
- Treasury Management Team
Focused on optimizing the bitcoin investment for long-term returns
Leadership Perspective on Bitcoin Adoption
Company Chairman Israel Salmen provided insights into the rationale behind this pioneering move:
"Bitcoin presents an intelligent alternative to holding depreciating cash reserves. We're not speculating—we're making a calculated, long-term investment in what we believe will become a fundamental store of value." — Israel Salmen, Méliuz Chairman
Salmen noted that the company's depressed stock price (down from $6 billion in 2021 to $270 million) made the shares appear "irrelevant" in public markets. The bitcoin strategy aims to:
- Reinvigorate investor interest
- Demonstrate innovative financial thinking
- Position Méliuz as a forward-looking fintech leader
Brazilian Crypto Market Context
This move comes as Brazil's cryptocurrency sector experiences rapid growth:
| Metric | 2022 Data |
|---|---|
| Total crypto trading volume | $200B+ |
| Registered crypto users | 30M+ |
| Benchmark interest rate | 13.75% |
Méliuz's bitcoin investment represents a strategic bet that cryptocurrency will outperform traditional Brazilian financial instruments over the long term.
Comparison to Global Bitcoin Treasuries
Méliuz joins a growing list of companies adopting bitcoin treasury strategies:
MicroStrategy (U.S.)
- Holds 500,000+ bitcoins ($46B+ value)
- Monthly acquisition strategy
Tesla (U.S.)
- $1.5B investment in 2021
- Currently holds ~10,800 BTC
Méliuz (Brazil)
- First Brazilian public company adoption
- Current holding: 45.72 BTC ($4.1M)
👉 Learn about corporate bitcoin adoption strategies
FAQ: Méliuz's Bitcoin Treasury Strategy
Q: Why did Méliuz choose to invest in bitcoin?
A: The company sees bitcoin as a long-term store of value that can potentially outperform traditional cash reserves and Brazil's high-interest rate environment.
Q: How much bitcoin did Méliuz purchase?
A: Méliuz acquired 45.72 bitcoins worth $4.1 million, representing 10% of its cash reserves.
Q: Is this the first Brazilian company to adopt such a strategy?
A: Yes, Méliuz is the first publicly traded Brazilian company to implement a bitcoin treasury strategy.
Q: What's the average purchase price per bitcoin?
A: The company paid an average of $90,926 per bitcoin for its holdings.
Q: Will Méliuz acquire more bitcoin in the future?
A: The newly formed Bitcoin Strategic Committee will study potential expansions of the strategy.
Q: How does this compare to MicroStrategy's approach?
A: While smaller in scale, Méliuz's strategy mirrors MicroStrategy's approach of using bitcoin as a primary treasury reserve asset.
Future Outlook and Industry Impact
Méliuz's pioneering move could signal:
- Increased institutional bitcoin adoption in Latin America
- Growing acceptance of cryptocurrency as corporate treasury assets
- Potential for other Brazilian companies to follow suit
As the company navigates its stock price challenges, this bitcoin strategy represents both a financial repositioning and a statement about the future of corporate treasury management in emerging markets.
The fintech's bold move serves as a case study for how companies can:
- Diversify treasury assets
- Hedge against local economic conditions
- Position themselves as industry innovators