Fortitude Appoints Jaime Leverton CEO Ahead of Nasdaq Merger

Fortitude Mining Holdings appointed Jaime Leverton as chief executive officer. The appointment takes effect on September 21. Leverton previously served as CEO of Hut 8 and led institutional asset manager ReserveOne. She succeeds Andrea Childs, who will assume the role of chief operating officer.

The company is preparing for a public listing through a proposed merger with HeartSciences. The deal was announced in June and targets a fourth-quarter closing. The combined entity is expected to trade on the Nasdaq exchange under the ticker symbol TUDE. Leverton will retain the CEO title after the transaction completes.

Merger valuation exceeds four hundred million

The proposed combination implies a valuation of at least $400 million. This figure is based on HeartSciences’ current share price and expected share issuance. Digital Currency Group, the parent owner of Fortitude, will receive shares in the new entity. HeartSciences preferred shareholders will also hold equity in the combined company.

Zcash production dominates network activity

Fortitude mined 72,696 ZEC in the first half of 2026. This volume represents 28% of total network production during that period. The company reported second-quarter revenue of $20.9 million. Zcash market capitalization stands at approximately $21 billion. The token has gained more than 2,000% over the past year, according to CoinDesk data.

Operational infrastructure spans four states

The miner operates over 60 megawatts of power capacity. These facilities are located across seven sites. The network includes locations in South Dakota, Nebraska, Texas, and New York. Fortitude describes its model as a venture mining platform. It allocates capital across proof-of-work networks while maintaining a primary focus on Zcash.