By Datavault AI shares plunged nearly 50% on Tuesday after the company disclosed that it had been unable to withdraw Bitcoin credited to its account at Biconomy since June, prompting an accounting correction that could reduce reported assets by $92.2 million at the end of 2025.
The Nasdaq-listed company closed at $0.067 on October 27, down 49.6% from the previous session’s $0.133 close, while trading volume reached approximately 250 million shares. The disclosure also raises questions about Datavault’s liquidity, its ability to recover amounts associated with a $150 million securities transaction with Scilex Holding Company, and the reliability of previously issued financial statements.
In a Form 8-K filed on October 26, Datavault said investors should no longer rely on financial statements covering the periods ended September 30, 2025, December 31, 2025, March 31, 2026, and June 30, 2026. The company intends to restate the affected reports but has not determined when the corrected statements will be filed.
Why Can Datavault AI Not Withdraw Its Bitcoin?
The problem originates from a September 25, 2025, securities purchase agreement under which Scilex agreed to acquire 15 million Datavault common shares and a pre-funded warrant covering another 263.9 million shares for $150 million, payable in Bitcoin.
The transaction was priced at $112,915.52 per Bitcoin, equivalent to approximately 1,328.43 BTC. Datavault’s filing says 1,309.04 BTC was credited to its digital wallet at Biconomy Pte. Ltd. through off-chain transfers in September and November 2025, after accounting for 19.39 BTC associated with cash advances from Scilex.
Between September 26, 2025, and January 30, 2026, Datavault sold 491.431 BTC back to Scilex for approximately $40.5 million in cash. In June 2026, the company requested a withdrawal from its Biconomy wallet to an external account. The withdrawal remained incomplete as of the October 26 filing.
Datavault did not explain why the withdrawal could not be completed. The filing does not establish that the Bitcoin was stolen, that Biconomy misappropriated the assets or that the funds are permanently unrecoverable.
A separate June filing disclosed a proposed Scilex purchase of 837 BTC held in the same wallet for $50 million. The proposal was subject to a definitive agreement and closing conditions. Datavault’s latest filing does not clarify whether that transaction progressed or how it relates to the unresolved withdrawal.
Investor Takeaway
The immediate concern is not proof of a Bitcoin loss but the company’s inability to complete a withdrawal and establish the accounting treatment of the balance. Recovery prospects remain uncertain.
Why Must Datavault AI Restate Its Financial Statements?
Following a review of the transaction, Datavault determined that the Bitcoin associated with the Scilex equity purchase did not qualify for recognition as a company digital asset. The company now says the transaction should instead have been recorded as a subscription receivable arising from the share issuance, presented as a reduction of stockholders’ equity.
The distinction is important. A balance displayed in an exchange’s internal account does not, by itself, establish that a company meets the accounting requirements to recognize the underlying cryptocurrency as its own asset.
The expected corrections will reduce total assets by $8.1 million as of September 30, 2025; $92.2 million as of December 31, 2025; $57.1 million as of March 31, 2026; and $49 million as of June 30, 2026. Datavault said amounts received from the Bitcoin transactions with Scilex should reduce the subscription receivable.
The company is also reassessing its going-concern evaluation because it had previously treated the Bitcoin balances as a source of liquidity. Collection of the amounts due from Scilex remains uncertain, and the company has not finalized the effect of the accounting corrections on its financial statements.
The distinction between accounting valuation and accessible liquidity has become increasingly important for listed companies holding cryptocurrency. FinanceFeeds previously examined how Bitcoin accounting adjustments affect Strategy’s reported earnings. Datavault’s situation is different: the central issue is whether the Bitcoin qualified for recognition as an asset in the first place, rather than a change in the market price of cryptocurrency it demonstrably controls.
What Does the Disclosure Mean for Datavault’s Financial Position?
The restatement creates uncertainty beyond the revised asset figures. Management must determine how the corrections affect cash-flow reporting, prior disclosures and the company’s ability to continue operating. It is also evaluating whether the accounting errors indicate deficiencies in internal control over financial reporting, including a possible material weakness.
The filing says that evaluation remains incomplete. Datavault has not determined whether its previous conclusions about the effectiveness of its financial-reporting controls need to be revised, and additional errors could emerge as the review continues.
That uncertainty makes the timing of corrected financial statements important. Until the restatements are completed, investors cannot rely on the affected financial information to assess the company’s historical assets and liquidity on the same basis as before.
The case also illustrates why investors in corporate Bitcoin strategies need to assess more than the quantity of cryptocurrency a company reports. FinanceFeeds has previously examined the balance-sheet and valuation risks facing Bitcoin treasury companies. Datavault’s disclosure adds another dimension: whether reported holdings are accessible and meet the requirements for asset recognition.
Investor Takeaway
The restatement removes previously reported Bitcoin assets from the company’s recognized balance sheet and forces a fresh assessment of liquidity. The outcome depends on recovery efforts, collection from Scilex and the completion of the financial-control review.
What Should Investors Watch Next?
Three developments will determine how much uncertainty remains: whether Datavault completes the withdrawal or otherwise resolves the Biconomy balance, whether it collects the amounts due from Scilex, and when it files corrected financial statements.
The company must also complete its assessment of internal controls and going-concern disclosures. Until those steps are finished, the October 26 filing provides evidence of an unresolved access problem and material accounting errors, but not a definitive explanation for the failed withdrawal or the ultimate recoverability of the Bitcoin.
For DVLT shareholders, the distinction between a reported cryptocurrency balance and an asset that can be recognized and accessed is now central to evaluating the company’s financial position. The sharp share-price decline reflects the market’s reaction to that uncertainty, while the eventual financial impact will depend on what Datavault can establish through its recovery efforts and restatement process.