Coinsilium, a U.K.-based blockchain firm that made waves as the first of its kind to go public back in 2015, just raised a cool £1.25 million. What’s the cash for, you ask? Well, they’re looking to kickstart their very own bitcoin treasury initiative. The announcement came on May 16, 2025, at 2:02 p.m., with an update following at 2:15 p.m.
The raise coincided with a crazy surge in trading volume for Coinsilium Group shares, hitting a record high. Friday saw a whopping 14 million shares changing hands. Currently, these shares are valued at £0.04 each, marking a hefty 24% increase in just 24 hours. James Van Straten, a CoinDesk analyst advising the company, expressed his excitement over the news, highlighting the significance of the moment. “Great to see record trading volumes as Coinsilium announces a bitcoin treasury,” he remarked. “I remain focused on helping educate the UK market on bitcoin and helping the UK become a leader in this space.”
Following in the footsteps of other big players like Strategy (formerly MicroStrategy) and Metaplanet, Coinsilium’s move to establish a bitcoin treasury is definitely one to watch. Even the U.S. Government has hopped on the bandwagon, revealing its own plans to stockpile BTC earlier in March. James Van Straten, an employee at CoinDesk who also owns Coinsilium Group and MSTR shares, is right in the thick of it all. Oliver Knight, co-leader of CoinDesk’s data tokens and data team, brings his wealth of experience to the table. Having delved into the crypto world since 2013 and worked in a market making firm in the UK, Knight surely knows his stuff. Not currently holding any crypto, he’s a key player in this unfolding story.
