How to cure a sagging stock price? For a growing number of micro-caps, it’s as easy as buying bitcoin and announcing it to the world.

In late 2021, Semler Scientific, a promising Santa Clara-based medical technology company, was facing a world of trouble. Growth was slowing and the tiny

Semler Scientific, a medical technology company, faced challenges in 2023 with slowing growth and a stock price decline. To revive its stock, the company, led by Eric Semler, decided to allocate its cash reserves to bitcoin. This strategy, inspired by MicroStrategy's bitcoin holdings, aimed to boost its stock performance and capitalize on the booming crypto market.

Semler Scientific began purchasing bitcoin in May 2024, utilizing its cash on hand and proceeds from a stock offering managed by Cantor Fitzgerald. By December, the company had acquired 1,570 tokens at an average price of $75,000, with a total cost of around $118 million.

This move paid off handsomely, with Semler Scientific's stock surging 112% since May. The company's shares outperformed bitcoin's 34% price appreciation during the same period and also surpassed MicroStrategy's stock gain of 538% year-to-date.

Semler highlighted the company's commitment to its medical business despite the pivot towards bitcoin. However, he actively engaged with crypto enthusiasts through YouTube interviews, podcasts, and appearances at crypto events, showcasing Semler Scientific's recent BTC Yield of 58.4%.

This strategy aligns with a broader trend among small public companies, particularly those facing challenges in their core businesses. By pivoting towards bitcoin, these companies hope to infuse their sagging stocks with the vitality fueling the current crypto bull market.

Another company pursuing this strategy is Metaplanet, a Japan-based holding company. Originally focused on hotels and real estate, the company encountered difficulties during the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to a drastic decline in its stock price on the Tokyo Stock Exchange.

In early 2024, Metaplanet decided to shift its business model and pivot towards digital assets. Inspired by MicroStrategy's strategy and Saylor's advocacy for bitcoin, Metaplanet began selling off its hotel properties to fund bitcoin purchases.

By December, Metaplanet had raised over $70 million through loans, stock sales, and private placements, which were used to purchase 1,142 bitcoin in the open market. Each purchase was accompanied by press releases, and CEO Simon Gerovich actively participated in the bitcoin conference circuit.

This strategy proved highly effective, as Metaplanet's stock soared on the Tokyo bourse, with its shares surging 1,571% so far this year. The company's shareholder base expanded from 5,000 to 50,000, and its market capitalization soared to 612 million.

Another company joining the bitcoin bandwagon is Genius Group, a Singapore-based edtech startup. In recent weeks, the company has undergone a remarkable transformation, pivoting from AI-powered education to a leading "Bitcoin-first education and acceleration group."

According to CEO Roger Hamilton, the company's strategy is centered on the belief that a major collapse in the U.S. dollar will begin in 2025, coinciding with the emergence of artificial general intelligence. This convergence, he asserts, will lead to the adoption of bitcoin by entities creating their monetary systems.

In line with this strategy, Genius Group announced its bitcoin treasury plan on November 12th and made its first bitcoin purchase on the 18th, acquiring 110 bitcoin for a total consideration of $10 million, at an average price of $91,372.

This announcement immediately boosted the company's stock, which surged 150% on the NYSE's Arca. While the stock has since pulled back, it still remains up by 40%, giving Genius Group a market capitalization of nearly $16 million.

Hamilton aims to acquire 1,000 bitcoin, which would equate to a $1 billion treasury if bitcoin reaches $100,000. This goal is ambitious considering the company's losses of $5.7 million on revenues of $23 million in 2023 and its continuing losses in 2024, despite any bitcoin profits.

“Our focus is not going knocking on the doors of investors in Manhattan,” says Hamilton, “Our focus is going to the Bitcoin community and saying, look, here is a way for you to outperform Bitcoin because you're buying something that has the same value growth but has a value add layer on top of it, which is what we are doing with education.”

As the price of bitcoin approaches the $100,000 mark, more companies are expected to join the bitcoin bandwagon in an attempt to boost their stock performance and capitalize on the crypto boom.