Gem Resources PLC (LSE: GEMR) just scooped up 9 Bitcoin for a total outlay of $634,685, kicking off its bold new crypto treasury strategy amid a market dip.
Hold onto your mining helmets, folks— this small-cap emerald digger is diving into digital gold! In a move that’s got the crypto treasury world buzzing, GEMR announced on February 13, 2026, that its Hong Kong subsidiary snapped up those 9 BTC at an average all-in price of about $70,521 each. Funded straight from cash reserves, this isn’t just a toe-dip; it’s the first splash under their Cryptocurrency and Digital Asset Treasury Policy, adopted back in October 2025.
Key Stat: GEMR’s Initial BTC Haul = 9 Bitcoin @ ~$634,685 Total Cost
This policy isn’t messing around— it greenlights Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Solana as treasury assets, with at least 50% locked in BTC. They’re even eyeing crypto for settling emerald sales. But don’t worry, their core gig stays emerald mining in South Africa, Australia, and beyond. As Executive Chairman Louis Ching put it, they’re capitalizing on Bitcoin’s recent slide while keeping eyes on the prize: advancing those natural resource assets.
For more on how companies are stacking sats, check out our deep dive on MicroStrategy’s Bitcoin Empire or Metaplanet’s Rise as Japan’s Crypto Treasury Trailblazer.
Zooming in on the details: The buys happened via regulated HashKey Exchange in Hong Kong, with a “cold storage first” setup, dual authorizations, and whitelists to keep things secure. GEMR’s treating these as intangible assets on the books, with full disclosures coming in financials. Risks? Oh yeah— volatility, regs, hacks— but they’re playing it conservative, ensuring cash for ops stays solid.
How the Market Reacted When Others Did This
Flashback to similar plays: When MicroStrategy dropped news of a $168 million BTC buy on February 17, 2026, their stock (MSTR) jumped 8% that day, bucking a tough year where it’s down 70% overall amid crypto’s slump. Japan’s Metaplanet saw wild swings— up over 1,000% in 2025 on treasury announcements, but recent dips have shaved gains as Bitcoin fell below $70,000. Closer to home, UK’s Smarter Web Company (SWC) tanked nearly 18% on a bad crypto day in early February 2026. For GEMR, a tiny player with a market cap of about £2.47 million as of this writing, the announcement hasn’t sparked fireworks yet— trading flat around 0.40 GBp with low volume since the release. But in this space, one big buy can flip the script overnight!
What’s next for GEMR? They’ll keep eyeing market vibes for more allocations, all while drilling for emeralds. This blend of old-school mining and cutting-edge crypto could redefine resource plays. Stay tuned— corporate treasuries are heating up!
