Bitcoin Usage Slows, But Semler Scientific Doubles Down With 105,000 BTC Target by 2027

Bitcoin Transactions Hit 18-Month Low as Hype Around Runes and Ordinals Fades

Bitcoin’s on-chain activity has dropped to its lowest level in over a year and a half, with daily transactions dipping as low as 316,000 before a modest recovery to around 350,000. This sharp decline marks a dramatic shift from the mid-2024 peak of over 700,000 transactions, driven largely by now-fading interest in Bitcoin-native protocols like Runes and Ordinals. These protocols briefly brought Ethereum-like use cases to Bitcoin, such as NFTs and token-like assets, but have since lost momentum. Transaction fees remain under $1.50, reflecting low demand for block space. Meanwhile, some users are resorting to sub-minimal fee transactions, prompting mining pool MARA to introduce a pipeline for processing these “Slipstream” transactions—spurring debate within the Bitcoin community about censorship resistance and node-level filtering.

Semler Scientific Aims to Hold 105,000 Bitcoin by 2027, Hires Joe Burnett as Director of BTC Strategy

Healthcare tech firm Semler Scientific has unveiled a bold three-year plan to build one of the largest corporate Bitcoin treasuries, targeting 105,000 BTC by the end of 2027. The Nasdaq-listed company will fund the expansion through equity, debt, and operational cash flow, aiming for 10,000 BTC by late 2025 and 42,000 by 2026. Alongside the announcement, Semler named Joe Burnett—formerly of Unchained and Blockware Solutions—as its new Director of Bitcoin Strategy. As of June 4, the company holds 4,449 BTC, worth roughly $462 million, making it a top 15 corporate Bitcoin holder. Semler, which adopted a Bitcoin treasury strategy in May 2024, has already realized a 287% BTC yield and $177 million in gains.

Trump-Linked Entity Quietly Cuts Stake in DeFi Firm Amid Senate Probe and Crypto Backlash

DT Marks DEFI LLC, a Trump family–connected entity, has reduced its ownership in World Liberty Financial from 60% to around 40%, according to recent legal filings. The move comes as U.S. lawmakers, particularly Senate Democrats, intensify investigations into Donald Trump’s crypto ties, including his financial gains from the controversial DeFi firm. Trump reportedly earned $57 million from WLFI token sales, and the entity still holds 22.5 billion tokens and 75% of post-expense sale proceeds. While the Trump family holds no formal management roles in the company, their financial involvement has drawn political scrutiny—especially with Congress pushing stablecoin regulation through the GENIUS Act and an ongoing Senate inquiry led by Sen. Richard Blumenthal.

Elon Musk Expands X Into Financial Services With Plans for Trading, Payments, and Debit Cards

Elon Musk is accelerating his vision of transforming X into an all-in-one financial and social platform. X CEO Linda Yaccarino announced that users will soon be able to invest and trade directly within the app, with additional plans for an X-branded debit card. The announcement follows Musk’s earlier tease of “X Money,” a peer-to-peer payment system now nearing limited beta. While Musk is a longtime Dogecoin supporter, Yaccarino’s update did not mention crypto. The initiative marks a major step toward Musk’s long-standing goal of making X the central hub for users’ entire financial lives—reviving his original vision from X.com, the precursor to PayPal.

Resources:

Financial Times

Forbes

PRN

The Block