(MENAFN- Crypto Breaking) A recent lawsuit has emerged as Semler Scientific, a healthcare technology firm, prepares to undertake a high-stakes merger with Strive, a Bitcoin treasury company founded by former U.S. presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy. Shareholder concerns over the transparency and fairness of the deal have prompted legal action, casting a spotlight on recent trends of tech companies integrating cryptocurrencies into their financial strategies.

• A shareholder lawsuit challenges Semler Scientific's proposed merger with Strive, alleging misleading disclosures.
• The deal involves Semler shareholders receiving stock in Strive, a Bitcoin treasury-focused firm that has recently adopted Bitcoin as its primary reserve asset.
• The plaintiff, Terry Tran, seeks to halt the merger or obtain damages over alleged violations of Securities Exchange Act provisions.
• Semler Scientific has been steadily increasing its Bitcoin holdings as part of its treasury strategy since 2024.
• Strive ranks among the top 20 Bitcoin treasury holders, highlighting the growing institutional interest in blockchain-based assets.

A shareholder of Semler Scientific has filed a lawsuit aiming to block the company's proposed merger with Strive, a prominent Bitcoin treasury company led by Vivek Ramaswamy. The legal action raises questions about transparency and shareholder rights amidst increasing corporate adoption of cryptocurrencies.

According to a complaint filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, plaintiff Terry Tran alleges that Semler Scientific and its board breached securities laws by providing misleading voting materials. The complaint contends that the company's disclosures about the merger's financial impacts are incomplete and inaccurate.

Announced last September, the merger sees Strive-an asset management company that recently became a publicly traded Bitcoin treasury - planning to acquire Semler through a stock-for-stock exchange. Semler shareholders would receive 21.05 shares of Strive Class A common stock for each Semler share they own.

An excerpt from the complaint. Source: Bloomberg Law

Related: 48 new Bitcoin treasuries appeared in just three months: Bitwise

Legal Challenges Over Deal Transparency

Tran's complaint asserts that Semler's board, including CEO Douglas Murphy-Chutorian and directors Eric Semler, William Chang, and Daniel Messina, failed to fully disclose the financial fairness of the merger and its impact on shareholders. The plaintiff is requesting a court order to delay the shareholder vote or any merger activities until corrective disclosures are made. If the merger proceeds, Tran seeks to rescind the deal or claim damages.

If the court grants a preliminary injunction, the merger could face significant delays. The case, filed recently and represented by Wisconsin-based securities law firm Ademi & Fruchter, underscores ongoing tensions around corporate transparency in crypto-related mergers.

Semler Scientific, a health-tech company that adopted Bitcoin as its core treasury asset in 2024, has continuously increased its holdings through multiple purchases. This strategic shift highlights the growing integration of digital assets within corporate treasury management.

Related: Crypto treasury stocks fall as markets plunge, with some exceptions

Strive and Semler Among Top Bitcoin Treasury Holders

The landscape of corporate Bitcoin holdings includes major players like MicroStrategy with a staggering 640,250 BTC, MARA Holdings with 53,250 BTC, and Cantor Fitzgerald-backed Twenty One Capital (XXI) with 43,514 BTC. These giants dominate the top ranks, demonstrating institutional confidence in blockchain assets.

Top 20 Bitcoin treasury firms. Source: BitcoinTreasuries

Notably, Strive and Semler Scientific are smaller but significant entrants among public companies holding Bitcoin, ranking 17th and 20th with 5,885 BTC and 5,021 BTC, respectively. Their inclusion underscores the increasing mainstream corporate interest in blockchain technology and digital assets as part of strategic treasury management.

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