Rebranding of 180 Life Sciences to ETHZilla and its Impact on Biotech Stocks
In recent financial news, the stocks of 180 Life Sciences, now renamed to ETHZilla, witnessed a significant surge. The rise in the value of shares accompanied the news of the company’s decision to shift its focus towards an Ether-based treasury system. The dawn of the day brought with it a steep ascent in the company’s shares, which soared as much as 70%. However, the morning acceleration met a reality-check later, resulting in a dip, leaving a residual increase of around 5%, though still marking a notable 500% increase in its year-to-date gains.
Propelling Towards Cryptocurrency
The initial purpose of ETHZilla, or 180 Life Sciences, was to pioneer the development of treatments for chronic pain, inflammation, and fibrosis. Venturing into the world of cryptocurrencies, the biotech firm revealed that it now owns nearly $350 million worth of Ether. Ether is only second to Bitcoin in terms of market dominance amongst all cryptocurrencies. ETHZilla also expressed its hankerings to acquire more Ether, marking a critical change in its financial strategy.
Ether: A Rising Star in Crypto
Wednesday saw Ether’s value teetering near its all-time high of over $4,700, reaching nearly half of its value in the year 2025 due to ostensibly crypto-receptive regulations. Optimism about the Trump administration’s friendlier crypto regulations seems to be a significant factor contributing to Ether’s impressive ascent. This encouraging climate for cryptocurrencies likely played a part in ETHZilla’s pivot into the crypto space.
ETHZilla’s Playbook Reflects Strategy’s
ETHZilla’s financial maneuvering mirrors that of Strategy’s (once known as MicroStrategy). Strategy decided to diversify its business model by making Bitcoin a considerable asset in its corporate treasury, becoming the leading corporate holder of Bitcoin in the processes. Similar to Strategy’s course, ETHZilla declared its intentions to accumulate more Ether alongside its decision to rebrand and overhaul its focus to crypto.
Bitcoin: Still the Titan of Crypto
Despite Ether’s growth, Bitcoin remains the leading cryptocurrency, with its value staying near its all-time high of $121,600 on Wednesday. Bitcoin managed to add nearly one-third of its value in 2025, increasing the value of Strategy’s shares by approximately one-third during the same period. The rise and high value of Bitcoin highlight the potential uptrend that ETHZilla’s shares could experience inherently from their shift to Ether.
With ETHZilla’s rebranding and pivoting to a more Ether-based treasury, it reflects the cryptocurrency trends taking the global finance industry by storm, impacting stakeholders ranging from individual investors to large corporations. This trend-setting strategy sets the stage for more companies to consider incorporating virtual currencies within their core business plans.
