merger

According to Bloomberg, German securities trading platform operator Boerse Stuttgart Group plans to merge its crypto business with Frankfurt-based digital asset trader Tradias.According to a statement released on Friday, the newly formed business unit will have approximately 300 employees and will be jointly operated by a management team from both Boerse Stuttgart and Tradias. Financial details have not been disclosed.

Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse stated during an online event for the XRP community that XRP remains Ripple's "North Star." The company will focus primarily on business integration this year, and large acquisitions are unlikely in the short term, though it does not rule out reassessing merger and acquisition opportunities in the second half of 2026.Garlinghouse pointed out that Ripple invested approximately $4 billion into the crypto ecosystem last year through investments, acquisitions, and strategic partnerships, including the $1.25 billion acquisition of Hidden Road and the $1 billion acquisition of the fund management platform GTreasury. Compared to the aggressive expansion in 2025, the company will focus more on integrating existing businesses and resources this year. He also mentioned that future mergers and acquisitions will still revolve around strengthening the XRP ecosystem and practical applications, but the overall pace will be more cautious.

According to GlobeNewswire, digital asset management company CoinShares and special purpose acquisition company Vine Hill (VCIC) announced that they have submitted a revised F-4 registration statement draft to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).This submission follows the confidential submission of the initial registration statement draft and represents a continued progress in the transaction regulatory review process. The merger transaction is still proceeding as planned, but it must meet customary closing conditions, including obtaining the approval of CoinShares and Vine Hill's respective shareholders, securing the necessary acts from the Royal Court of Jersey, the effectiveness of the F-4 form, and obtaining approval from local regulatory authorities.It is reported that the relevant hearing is scheduled to be held on February 17, 2026.

DogeDesigner posted that X has added a small rocket like button animation, possibly in response to the progress of the merger between SpaceX and xAI.

According to informed sources, Musk plans to merge SpaceX with xAI, aiming to integrate its increasingly large strategic layout in the fields of artificial intelligence and space exploration.The merger plan is expected to be announced on Monday through an internal memorandum. The merged company is anticipated to be priced at about $527 per share, with a company valuation reaching $1.25 trillion. SpaceX and xAI have not yet responded. This move further intertwines Musk's various businesses. He acquired the social media platform Twitter (later renamed X) at the end of 2022, and subsequently merged the company with xAI for $33 billion. xAI also operates the chatbot Grok, which consumes about $1 billion per month to achieve its goal of deep understanding of the universe. Merging with SpaceX will integrate funding, talent, and computing resources while blurring corporate boundaries. This merger may realize Musk's vision of deploying data centers in space to support complex AI computations. According to documents submitted last Friday, SpaceX is applying for permission for this plan, intending to launch up to 1 million satellites into Earth orbit.

According to Reuters, citing informed sources, Musk is pushing for a merger between SpaceX and xAI through a stock swap, in preparation for a significant IPO planned by SpaceX.The deal has not been finalized yet, but Musk has established a merger entity in Nevada, indicating that the integration is moving into a substantive phase. If the merger is completed, SpaceX's rockets and space infrastructure will be deeply integrated with xAI's Grok large model and X platform data, creating an integrated business system of "Space + AI." Based on the latest valuations, SpaceX is approximately $800 billion, xAI is about $230 billion, and the combined valuation could reach $1.5 trillion.

According to Bloomberg, SpaceX is considering a potential merger with Tesla, while also exploring the option of combining with the artificial intelligence company xAI. Any deal could attract significant interest from infrastructure funds and sovereign investors in the Middle East, and may require large-scale financing. Sources say that no final decision has been made yet, and details may change. Musk, as well as representatives from SpaceX, xAI, and Tesla, have not immediately responded to requests for comment.According to Jin10 data, as a result, Tesla's stock rose over 4.84% in after-hours trading.

According to RootData, this week (January 19-25), the crypto market witnessed a total of 12 financing events, 3 mergers and acquisitions (Universal Execution Abstraction Protocol Atlas, decentralized social network Farcaster, crypto media Coinstack), and 1 IPO (crypto custody service provider BitGo, raising $213 million).Among the 12 financing events, the blockchain-based government bond fund Superstate secured $82.5 million in Series B funding from institutions such as Bain Capital Crypto, Haun Ventures, and Galaxy Digital; the chain abstract stablecoin system River received $12 million in strategic financing from institutions including Tron; the asset-backed protocol Cork Protocol obtained $5.5 million in seed round financing from a16z CSX, Gate Labs, and others; and the intent-driven modular blockchain Warden Protocol secured $4 million in strategic financing, with a post-money valuation of $200 million.

Strive announced that the shareholders of Semler Scientific voted to approve Strive's acquisition proposal. As part of an all-stock transaction, Strive will acquire 5,048.1 bitcoins held by Semler Scientific. Strive also announced the purchase of an additional 123 bitcoins for its corporate treasury at an average price of $91,561 per bitcoin, for a total purchase price of $11,264,000 (including fees and expenses), bringing Strive's total bitcoin holdings to 7,749.8 bitcoins.Upon completion of the acquisition of Semler Scientific, the merged company will hold 12,797.9 bitcoins, making it the 11th largest corporate holder. Strive stated that its goal is to tokenize Semler's medical diagnostics business and address a $120 million debt issue.With the completion of the merger, the board approved a 1:20 reverse stock split for the Class A and Class B common stock of the merged company. Strive plans to disclose more details regarding the anticipated reverse stock split, including the expected effective date and the new CUSIP number for Class A common stock, in an upcoming current report on Form 8-K.After the transaction is completed, Semler Scientific Executive Chairman Eric Semler will join Strive's board of directors. Following this announcement, the stock prices of Strive and Semler Scientific fell by approximately 10%, respectively.

According to DL News, data from Architect Partners shows that the publicly disclosed merger and acquisition (M&A) deal volume in the cryptocurrency industry surged to $37 billion in 2025, more than seven times that of the previous year, far exceeding analysts' expectations of around $30 billion, and setting a historical high for the industry. The transaction volume increased by 74% year-on-year, reaching 356 deals, of which 39 had a value exceeding $100 million, and 17 exceeded $500 million.Karl-Martin Ahrend, co-founder of Areta, stated that the speed of M&A transactions will depend on the clarity of regulations, interest rates, risk appetite, and valuation attractiveness, with traditional financial institution buyers most interested in the stablecoin and payments sectors. He expects that M&A activity will remain active in 2026, with the industry shifting towards building sustainable enterprises, leading to more "bridge" mergers and acquisitions, with deal terms focusing more on risk management. However, there may also be resistance from regulatory surprises, and the direction of U.S. regulations in early 2026 may provide clearer signals.

According to DL News, the cryptocurrency market is expected to surpass the record $37 billion in merger and acquisition transactions set in 2025 by 2026.Data from Architect Partners shows that publicly disclosed cryptocurrency M&A transaction volume surged sevenfold to $37 billion in 2025, far exceeding analysts' expectations of $30 billion. The number of transactions increased by 74% year-on-year to 356, with 39 transactions exceeding $100 million and 17 transactions exceeding $500 million.Karl-Martin Ahrend, co-founder of cryptocurrency M&A consulting firm Areta, stated that transaction activity in 2026 will depend on regulatory clarity, interest rates, risk appetite, and valuation attractiveness. Traditional financial institutions are most interested in the stablecoin and payments sectors. The report indicates that more traditional companies are expected to acquire cryptocurrency capabilities rather than build them in-house.

ChainCatcher news, according to the “RootData 2025 Web3 Industry Annual Report”, shows that 2025 will present a rhythm of "Q3 concentrated IPOs and Q4 merger explosions," reflecting the path of companies "first going public for financing, then integrating and expanding." In November, the monthly merger amount accounted for 59% of the annual total, mainly driven by the actions of giants like Naver acquiring Dunamu.The report indicates that the integration trend will continue in the first half of 2026, with industry leaders building moats through capital operations, while small and medium-sized projects face the harsh choice of "being acquired or being eliminated."

Semler Scientific founder Eric Semler posted on platform X that Semler Scientific has proposed its shareholders to vote in favor of the merger with Strive. A special shareholder meeting will be held on January 13, and upon approval, SMLR shareholders will receive ASST shares at an exchange ratio of 21.05.The merged entity will hold nearly 13,000 BTC, placing it among the top five publicly traded companies that adopt BTC as a primary strategic reserve. This move aims to enhance Strive's financing capabilities in the digital credit space and maximize long-term shareholder value.

According to the Financial Times, the global cryptocurrency industry completed a total of 267 merger and acquisition transactions in 2025, amounting to $8.6 billion, nearly quadrupling from 2024 and setting a new historical record.The Trump administration listed cryptocurrency as a national priority, promoting regulatory easing, lawsuit dismissals, and the establishment of a national cryptocurrency reserve, which helped drive capital inflow. Coinbase spent $2.9 billion to acquire Deribit, making it the largest deal of the year, while Kraken and Ripple acquired NinjaTrader and Hidden Road, respectively. Throughout the year, 11 cryptocurrency companies raised a total of $14.6 billion through IPOs. It is expected that the M&A boom will continue in 2026 due to compliance pressures and the implementation of stablecoin regulations.

According to Forbes, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Basset recently claimed that he is promoting "the largest merger in history"—integrating Main Street with Wall Street. Against the backdrop of Bitcoin prices dropping 6% in 2025, the "Beautiful Bill" introduced by the Trump administration provides newborns with a $1,000 "Trump account," aimed at fostering a nationwide investment awareness.At the same time, Wall Street financial giants like BlackRock have accumulated nearly $70 billion in Bitcoin ETFs, as cryptocurrencies are rapidly integrating into the mainstream financial system. Basset predicts that tax cuts will bring about a "huge refund year" in the first quarter of 2026, while the Trump administration plans to launch a market structure bill in early 2026 to further regulate the stablecoin market.

According to Globenewswire, the special purpose acquisition company Launchpad Cadenza announced that its Class A common stock and warrants have completed their initial public offering (IPO) on Nasdaq, raising a total of $230 million, with the related funds now held in trust. Cantor Fitzgerald acted as the sole book-running manager for this offering.The company stated that it will seek to merge, acquire, exchange shares, purchase assets, buy shares, restructure, or engage in similar business combinations with technology and software infrastructure companies in the blockchain, fintech, and digital asset ecosystems.

Special Purpose Acquisition Company Launchpad Cadenza announced that it will raise $200 million through an Initial Public Offering (IPO), with its Class A common stock and warrants listed on Nasdaq under the ticker symbols "LPCV" and "LPCVW," respectively.The offering is expected to be completed on December 19, 2025, subject to customary closing conditions. The company stated that it will seek technology and software infrastructure companies for mergers, acquisitions, stock exchanges, asset purchases, stock purchases, restructurings, or similar business combinations within the blockchain, fintech, and digital asset ecosystem.

The Nasdaq-listed special purpose acquisition company Meshflow Acquisition announced the issuance of 34,500,000 units at a price of $10 each (each unit includes Class A common stock and redeemable warrants), raising a total of $345 million. The company will seek mergers, acquisitions, share exchanges, asset purchases, stock purchases, reorganizations, or similar business combinations in areas such as crypto infrastructure, decentralized coordination tools, Web3 middleware, asset tokenization, and decentralized finance foundational protocols.

The Nasdaq-listed special purpose acquisition company Meshflow Acquisition announced the completion of its initial public offering, issuing 34,500,000 units at a price of $10 each, raising a total of $345 million. The company will seek mergers, acquisitions, stock exchanges, asset purchases, share purchases, reorganizations, or similar business combinations in areas such as crypto infrastructure, decentralized coordination tools, Web3 middleware, asset tokenization, and decentralized finance foundational protocols.

Columbus Circle Capital Corp I (NASDAQ: BRR) shareholders approved the business combination with Bitcoin financial services company ProCap BTC on December 3, 2025. The transaction is expected to be completed on December 5, and the combined company will be renamed ProCap Financial, Inc., continuing to trade on the NASDAQ Global Market under the ticker "BRR."ProCap BTC has raised over $750 million from traditional finance and Bitcoin industry investors.