Buckle up, because VivoPower just dropped a bombshell with a $121 million capital raise to hoard XRP, audaciously betting on a cryptocurrency treasury strategy that’s either visionary or a reckless gamble. Selling 20 million shares at roughly $6 each, led by Saudi Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Abdulaziz Al Saud’s hefty $100 million stake, this isn’t pocket change—it’s a brazen all-in on a volatile digital asset. With Adam Traidman, ex-Ripple board member, now chairman, and shareholder approval pending on June 18, 2025, the question looms: is this innovation or insanity?
Let’s not sip the Kool-Aid just yet. VivoPower, the first public company to adopt XRP as a treasury reserve, claims it’s supporting the XRPL blockchain ecosystem, eyeing decentralized finance. Fine, but with XRP—the fourth-largest crypto by market cap—dipping 2% post-announcement, and weekly losses over 5%, where’s the immediate win? Sure, institutional demand and bullish sentiment are rising, and the U.S. SEC hints at XRP’s future in Bitcoin reserve plans, but banking on regulatory clarity is a dice roll, not a strategy. VivoPower’s stock surged 26% before settling at $6.75, up 11%, yet XRP’s price correction smirks at the hype. Additionally, the majority of the raised funds are earmarked for XRP acquisition, aligning with their bold treasury strategy. This move positions VivoPower as a pioneer among public companies with an XRP-focused treasury. Notably, such bold moves often correlate with volume spikes in the crypto market, signaling heightened trading activity and potential price swings.
And what of the pivot? Spinning off Tembo and Caret Digital by Q3 2025, VivoPower wants to morph into a pure-play XRP treasury entity, abandoning traditional energy for blockchain fantasies. Executive Chairman Kevin Chin touts a “shared vision,” but is this focus or folly? With crypto treasury trends growing, and Traidman’s expertise supposedly bolstering confidence, skeptics still demand proof. Is this a long-term signal, as markets suggest, or a spectacular misstep? VivoPower better deliver, because this gamble isn’t just bold—it’s a tightrope walk over a financial abyss.