Atai Life Sciences Adopts Bitcoin Treasury Strategy with Initial $5M Investment

FRANKFURT — Nasdaq-listed biopharmaceutical company Atai Life Sciences is joining the growing list of public firms incorporating Bitcoin into their treasury strategy, starting with a $5 million allocation.

Chaired by entrepreneur Christian Angermayer, the German-based company cited high inflation, rising interest rates, and unstable funding environments as key motivations. In a recent statement, Angermayer posed a strategic question: Could Bitcoin help preserve a company’s cash runway and bolster long-term growth?

Atai’s initial BTC purchase, equivalent to around 59 BTC at current market prices, places it among the top 60 publicly traded firms holding Bitcoin. The company will maintain a diversified treasury, including cash, short-term securities, and public equities to support operations through 2027.

This move reflects a broader trend in the biotech space, following similar crypto treasury adoptions by Quantum BioPharma ($3.5M in BTC) and Semler Scientific (3,190+ BTC holdings), as well as smaller BTC purchases by firms like Hoth Therapeutics and Acurx Pharmaceuticals.

Angermayer emphasized that the Bitcoin position is intended as a long-term inflation hedge and short-term diversification, while core reserves remain in traditional financial assets.

Atai’s stock price briefly climbed to $1.47 after the announcement before closing at $1.37, a 1.44% dip on the day. The stock remains up 3% for the year but has dropped 93% since its IPO in 2021.

Meanwhile, Bitcoin’s broader market performance has shown recent volatility. After peaking above $87,000, BTC has pulled back to around $83,900. A $10 billion decline in crypto open interest over recent weeks, noted by CryptoQuant, suggests a market correction phase is underway.