Vivek Ramaswamy’s Strive has added another 6,182 BTC to its corporate treasury, bringing its total Bitcoin holdings to 43,000 BTC as the broader crypto market faces pressure.

The company’s holdings have more than tripled from the approximately 12,800 BTC it held at the beginning of 2026. Strive has continued purchasing Bitcoin even as the asset struggles to remain above $80,000, committing millions of dollars to expand its treasury.

Strive accelerates Bitcoin purchases

The latest acquisition increased Strive’s holdings from the 36,818 BTC reported in mid-October. The company’s previous Bitcoin portfolio was valued at more than $3 billion, making Strive one of the largest corporate Bitcoin holders. Its shares trade on the Nasdaq under the ticker ASST.

Strive’s buying accelerated during October. Over one week, the company reportedly completed several acquisitions totaling more than 4,000 BTC. Those purchases were estimated to have cost approximately $335 million, with an average Bitcoin price between $82,000 and $84,500.

However, some figures do not fully align with Strive’s disclosures. Researchers tracking the company’s acquisitions have identified discrepancies between transaction data and reported holdings. As a result, determining the precise amount Strive has spent across all of its purchases may be difficult, although the company has reported a clear total for its latest Bitcoin holdings. The reported BTC balance shows the size of the treasury, while transaction records and financing disclosures provide separate information about how that position was built and the obligations attached to it.

Strive’s expansion began in January 2026 with its merger with Semler Scientific. The transaction gave Strive access to an existing Bitcoin wallet containing approximately 12,800 BTC, meaning the company did not have to build its entire position through open-market purchases.

The company’s portfolio has since grown by more than three times. Strive is considered the fourth-largest publicly traded corporate Bitcoin holder among companies that include Strategy and Metaplanet. Management has also stated that it wants to compete with the largest corporate Bitcoin owners by 2026.

Financing creates ongoing obligations

Strive’s expanding Bitcoin exposure also carries financing obligations. As the company increases its investments, more shareholders may gain exposure to Bitcoin regardless of their original reasons for investing in ASST stock.

Preferred-stock financing creates continuing dividend requirements. Those obligations do not automatically end if Bitcoin prices fall. With Strive’s projected acquisition costs in the upper $80,000s to lower $90,000s, its treasury could record substantial unrealized losses if Bitcoin remains below those levels. The company would still be required to meet its financing commitments.

Saylor outlines a broader role for Strategy

Meanwhile, Strategy executive chairman Michael Saylor is seeking to redefine how investors view his company’s business. In a presentation connected to a Schwab Network interview in October 2021, Saylor rejected the idea that Strategy simply uses Bitcoin to support its MSTR stock and then raises additional capital to purchase more Bitcoin.

He said the broader objective is to use Bitcoin-backed capital to develop digital credit instruments for investors who want financial exposure to the asset without holding cryptocurrency directly. Saylor discussed the strategy again in September, describing a financial structure intended to mitigate risks, reduce payment delays and generate returns through Bitcoin-based lending.

The structure does not generate conventional Bitcoin yield from those transactions. Instead, Strategy’s preferred dividend payments are corporate payment obligations supported by liquidity, operating funding and company assets.

Strategy has also focused on keeping its preferred securities near their stated values. STRC, for example, has a stated value of $100 per share. If STRC trades below that level, Strategy can repurchase shares at a discount, reducing the amount of preferred stock outstanding and lowering its dividend liabilities.

That structure does not eliminate investor risk. Dividends are not guaranteed, and investors can lose money if market prices decline or the company’s credit rating deteriorates.

Those concerns become more significant as Bitcoin loses value. On Thursday, Bitcoin traded at approximately $79,780, about 36.2% below its all-time high. Asset managers have reduced their net bullish exposure to CME Bitcoin futures by 57% since last year’s peak. At the same time, spot Bitcoin ETFs have accumulated 87,000 BTC since the market bottom in June.

Source: Cryptopolitan