Johannesburg-based investment firm Altvest Capital Limited (JSE: ALV) has made history by becoming the first publicly listed company in Africa to adopt Bitcoin (BTC) as part of its corporate treasury strategy. The move, announced on February 21, 2025, aligns Altvest with a growing number of global firms leveraging Bitcoin as a hedge against currency depreciation, inflation, and macroeconomic uncertainty.
Altvest’s decision mirrors the approach pioneered by Michael Saylor, the co-founder and Executive Chairman of Strategy (Formerly MicroStrategy), who redefined corporate treasury management by allocating billions of dollars into Bitcoin. Since 2020, Saylor has championed Bitcoin as "digital gold", arguing that its fixed supply, decentralization, and store-of-value properties make it a superior reserve asset compared to cash.
Similarly, Altvest has cited Bitcoin’s scarcity, liquidity, and institutional acceptance as key factors in its strategic pivot. The firm’s CEO, Warren Wheatley, emphasized that Bitcoin serves as a long-term value preservation tool, particularly in South Africa’s volatile economic environment.
"Bitcoin is fundamentally different from other digital assets. It is the only truly decentralized, scarce, and globally recognized digital asset that aligns with Altvest’s investment philosophy,"said Wheatley.
Exclusive Focus on Bitcoin
Unlike other cryptocurrencies, Altvest is solely focused on Bitcoin, rejecting assets with centralized governance, inflationary supply mechanisms, and regulatory uncertainties. The company has implemented a structured risk management framework to monitor its Bitcoin exposure while ensuring compliance with South African financial regulations.
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