Bitcoin Believers Who Lasted 16 Months Just Sold Every Coin to Survive

Genius Group (GNS) sold its entire Bitcoin (BTC) treasury of 84.15 BTC on April 1, 2026, fully repaying $8.5 million in debt and leaving the company with zero BTC on its balance sheet.

The Singapore-based AI-powered education company adopted its Bitcoin-first strategy on November 12, 2024, just days after the US presidential election, committing to hold 90% or more of its reserves in BTC.

Genius Group Moves From 440 BTC to Zero

The exit marks the end of a 16-month run as one of the earliest post-election corporate BTC treasury adopters.

Genius Group’s BTC accumulation peaked at approximately 440 BTC by early 2025. Based on current rankings, this would place the firm among the top 70 public companies holding BTC.

The company tied its treasury strategy directly to its identity as an AI-powered education group. They framed BTC as its primary reserve asset alongside workforce training and experiential learning programs.

The unraveling began when a US court order blocked the company from raising capital or issuing new shares.

That legal constraint removed the company’s ability to fund operations without tapping its BTC holdings. Sales proceeded in stages rather than in a single transaction.

By February 6, 2026, Genius Group held exactly 84.15 BTC after selling approximately 96 BTC between late December 2025 and early February 2026.

The partial sales reduced a BTC-backed loan from roughly $8.5 million to around $3.3 million before the final liquidation cleared the balance entirely.

Debt Pressure Forces the Exit

The final BTC sale occurred during Q1 2026 and was completed before March 31. The company announced zero holdings on April 1 alongside its Q1 results, confirming the full debt repayment.

The exit came at a loss. Genius Group’s average BTC cost basis sat near $102,000 per coin from earlier accumulation. Meanwhile, prices during the Q1 sale period ran softer, around $66,500.

Despite the treasury wipeout, the company’s core operations showed growth. Q1 2026 operational revenue reached $3.3 million, up 171% from $1.2 million in Q1 2025.

Gross profit grew 228% to $2.0 million, and gross margin improved to 62% from 52% a year earlier. Adjusted EBITDA from operations turned positive at $600,000, compared to negative $400,000 in Q1 2025.

CEO Roger Hamilton attributed the operational improvement to a strategic focus on higher-margin education programs across Genius School, Genius Academy, and Genius Resorts.

A Pause, Not an Exit

Genius Group framed the BTC liquidation as a temporary measure rather than a permanent reversal of strategy.

The company stated it will recommence building its Bitcoin treasury when it believes market conditions are more favorable.

Hamilton has accumulated 5.5 million company shares since 2024, a signal management cited as a sign of confidence in the company’s longer-term direction.

The company also pointed to continued expansion of its Genius City project in Bali, a combined education and residential hub, as part of its broader Southeast Asia growth plan.

Whether the company can rebuild a BTC treasury position without the fundraising constraints that forced the selldown will depend on the resolution of its ongoing legal proceedings and BTC price conditions at the time of any renewed accumulation.

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Source: https://beincrypto.com/genius-group-sells-bitcoin-treasury-debt/