Crypto Concerns Force Beckham-Backed Health Company To Stop Buying Bitcoin

Prenetics, the Nasdaq-listed health sciences group backed by soccer star David Beckham, has paused its plan to keep buying Bitcoin for the company treasury. According to reports, the firm stopped its daily purchases on December 4, 2025, and will hold the coins it already owns rather than add more. The company still retains roughly 510 BTC on its books. The move comes after a stretch of weak crypto markets and a recent $48 million equity raise that executives say will be used to back its consumer health brand. Prenetics Halts Daily Bitcoin Buying According to Bloomberg and other news outlets, Prenetics had been testing a treasury approach similar to models used by other public firms that purchased Bitcoin as a reserve asset. The company began accumulating Bitcoin earlier in 2025, but management signaled a change in course as market conditions grew harder. Reports have disclosed that the board and leadership looked at the math and decided pausing purchases would better protect cash and shareholder value while preserving the existing crypto holding. IM8 Growth Takes Center Stage Based on reports , a large part of the shift is driven by the rapid growth of IM8, Prenetics’ consumer health and nutrition brand co-founded with Beckham. The company has said IM8 reached over $100 million in annualized recurring revenue within 11 months of operations. Management has also provided guidance that IM8 could generate about $180 million–$200 million in revenue in fiscal 2026, numbers that have helped persuade investors the business can stand on its own. The $48 million round completed in October 2025 was seen as funding to both back IM8 expansion and to support the earlier Bitcoin plan; now the emphasis is being redirected. Market Reaction Shares of Prenetics have shown relative stability even after the announcement, reflecting some investor support for the health business strategy. Analysts and market watchers say the company’s decision mirrors a wider reassessment among several firms that had adopted crypto treasury strategies earlier in the year. Where some companies doubled down, others chose caution as Bitcoin fell from its highs and volatility persisted. Reports point out that holding the existing 510 BTC lets Prenetics keep potential upside without committing fresh capital while it focuses on product growth. Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView