Bitcoin News Today: MEI Pharma Invests $100M in Litecoin as Treasury Diversification Strategy

MEI Pharma, a NASDAQ-listed biotechnology firm based in San Diego, has made a $100 million investment in Litecoin, marking one of the first major institutional treasury moves by a biotech company into the cryptocurrency space. The acquisition, facilitated by Litecoin’s co-founder Charlie Lee and crypto market maker GSR, involved the purchase of 930,000 LTC tokens at an average price of $107.58 per token. The company financed the purchase through a private investment in public equity (PIPE) round closed in late July 2025 [1].

This strategic shift is part of MEI Pharma’s broader institutional treasury initiative, positioning the firm as a primary Litecoin reserve holder. Unlike traditional biotech firms that focus on drug development and R&D, MEI is repositioning itself as a crypto-focused entity, signaling a new trend in corporate treasury diversification [6]. The investment was disclosed through regulatory filings and company announcements, emphasizing compliance with U.S. financial regulations [5].

The news has had an immediate, though short-lived, effect on Litecoin’s price. Following the announcement, LTC surged to a five-month high of $128.40 before retreating slightly to $123.60. Over the past week, the token has gained approximately 12.3%, and over the past 24 hours, it rose by 5.8% [3]. Analysts attribute this price movement primarily to MEI’s treasury investment rather than broader market factors like ongoing ETF speculation [4].

MEI’s move also reflects a growing trend of traditional firms adopting digital assets as part of their reserve strategy. Companies such as MicroStrategy and Tesla previously made headlines for their Bitcoin investments, but MEI’s focus on Litecoin is a departure from those precedents. The company has also appointed Charlie Lee to its board, further solidifying its long-term commitment to LTC [9].

Litecoin has seen increased adoption in recent months, with CoinGate reporting that it captured 14.5% of global crypto payment volume in July 2025, second only to Bitcoin [3]. This growing institutional interest positions LTC as a serious contender among alternative crypto assets for treasury diversification [8]. MEI’s acquisition is part of a small but expanding list of institutional holdings, which could help drive broader acceptance of Litecoin in corporate finance.

Despite MEI’s significant investment, there have been no noticeable ripple effects in the broader crypto market. On-chain activity and price movements for Bitcoin and Ethereum remain largely unaffected. Developers and the Litecoin community have not yet shown a major response, with no notable changes in protocol development or governance [5].

The investment also coincides with speculation about the potential approval of a Litecoin ETF in 2025. Polymarket data indicates an 80% probability of such an event, although analysts suggest an XRP ETF is more likely to be approved first [3]. Regardless of regulatory developments, MEI’s move underscores the increasing legitimacy of digital assets in institutional portfolios.

MEI Pharma’s shift into cryptocurrency reflects a broader trend in corporate finance, where companies are exploring alternative assets to hedge against macroeconomic uncertainty. As more firms consider digital assets as part of their treasury strategies, the precedent set by MEI could encourage wider adoption of cryptocurrencies like Litecoin in institutional investment portfolios [10].

Source:

[1] MEI Pharma Chooses Not Bitcoin, Not Ethereum, But Litecoin, https://finance.yahoo.com/news/mei-pharma-chooses-not-bitcoin-143823425.html

[2] MEI Pharma Acquires Litecoin, Launches $100M Institutional Treasury Strategy with Charlie Lee and GSR Advising, https://meipharma.com/index.htm.html

[3] Litecoin Hits Five-Month High Amid ETF Optimism and $100M, https://finance.yahoo.com/news/litecoin-hits-five-month-high-131859033.html

[4] MEI Pharma's Litecoin treasury purchase sets off LTC rally, https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/markets/mei-pharma-s-litecoin-treasury-purchase-sets-off-ltc-rally/ar-AA1JXddo?ocid=finance-verthp-feeds

[5] MEI Pharma Launches $110 Million Litecoin Treasury Strategy, https://coincentral.com/mei-pharma-launches-110-million-litecoin-treasury-strategy/

[6] MEI Pharma Acquires Litecoin, Launches $100M, https://www.theglobeandmail.com/investing/markets/markets-news/Business%20Wire/33884240/mei-pharma-acquires-litecoin-launches-100m-institutional-treasury-strategy-with-charlie-lee-and-gsr-advising/

[8] Litecoin gets its first major treasury backer in MEI Pharma's, https://www.mexc.com/news/63834

[9] MEI Pharma Invests $100M in Litecoin, Adds Charlie Lee, https://www.cryptotimes.io/2025/08/06/mei-pharma-invests-100m-in-litecoin-adds-charlie-lee-to-board/

[10] Litecoin Soars as MEI Pharma Launches $100M Institutional, https://www.financesecond.com/litecoin-mei-pharma-100m-treasury-strategy/