The whale spokesperson closely watched by the crypto community: Michael Saylor
When mentioning Bitcoin, who do you think of?
In addition to the mysterious Bitcoin white paper author Satoshi Nakamoto, there is another promoter who believes in Bitcoin—Michael Saylor, co-founder of MicroStrategy.
Originally focused on business intelligence software, MicroStrategy announced in August 2020 that it would make a long-term investment in Bitcoin, spending $250 million to purchase 21,454 Bitcoins. Saylor views Bitcoin as a 'reasonable inflation hedge' and even adopts it as a company reserve asset, making MicroStrategy one of the few mainstream publicly traded companies in the U.S. that believes in Bitcoin.
Next, Saylor continued to buy. According to data from the statistical platform Bitcoin Treasuries, as of January 9, 2025, MicroStrategy has held 447,470 Bitcoins, with a total value of approximately $4.222 billion, making it the publicly traded company with the most Bitcoin in the world.
Once an unknown figure in the crypto space, Saylor gained fame after making Bitcoin the direction for his company's business, becoming a whale spokesperson closely watched by the crypto community.
Skeptical yet re-investing in a dramatic turnaround, Bitcoin is 'always ready to enter' like Manhattan.
As a staunch believer in Bitcoin, Saylor's professional background is not related to blockchain, but he has extensive experience and research in adopting new technologies.
Saylor grew up in a military family, spending his childhood in U.S. Air Force bases around the world. A graduate of MIT, he holds degrees in Aeronautics and Astronautics and Technology and Society. During his studies, Saylor had a strong interest in computer simulation technology, loving to explore its applications in public policy and business strategy, even making it the subject of his thesis, laying the foundation for the future establishment of MicroStrategy.
In 1989, at just 24 years old, Saylor founded the business intelligence software company MicroStrategy. Through services like data analysis, software development, and cloud technology, he helps companies improve operational efficiency. MicroStrategy has survived the impact of the internet bubble of 2000 and is still developing B2B data analysis tools. Major companies like Hilton Hotels, financial giant Visa, and cross-border e-commerce giant eBay have all been clients of MicroStrategy.
However, foreign media (Forbes) commented that although MicroStrategy still operates its software business, most of the company's value is still concentrated in the Bitcoin it holds.
However, things are not that simple. Now, seeing Bitcoin as a belief, Saylor once posted on X (formerly Twitter) in 2013, stating that 'the days of Bitcoin are numbered.' At that time, he believed Bitcoin might ultimately face regulatory and legal challenges like online gambling and gradually disappear.
Who would have thought that Bitcoin not only did not disappear but also became more valuable, conquering Saylor with its long-term appreciation advantages.
After announcing its continued purchase of Bitcoin in 2020, investors also began buying shares of the company. (Forbes) speculates that many investors hope to 'indirectly access' Bitcoin prices and test the market temperature without directly purchasing Bitcoin.
In the past five years, MicroStrategy's stock price has risen by 2,590%, compared to the 249% increase of tech giant Apple, indicating that MicroStrategy's growth is astonishing. Its skyrocketing Bitcoin investment value has compensated for the sluggish growth of its software business.
On December 23, 2023, NASDAQ announced that MicroStrategy was officially included in the NASDAQ 100 Index, becoming the first Bitcoin-related company to enter the index. This index primarily tracks the '100 largest companies by market capitalization that are not in the financial sector' on the NASDAQ exchange, and MicroStrategy's inclusion also signifies that the company has become one of the top 100 stocks by market capitalization on NASDAQ.
'Digital gold' original KOL! Heating up niche investments into major assets
Saylor's Bitcoin strategy not only redefined how companies view asset allocation but also, under the condition of continuous purchasing, reduced the market's liquid supply of Bitcoin, indirectly enhancing its scarcity and demand.
Saylor has prompted more and more companies to follow suit, allowing executives to see the value storage function of 'digital gold.' Companies like the Japanese publicly traded Metaplanet, healthcare service provider Semler Scientific, and Tesla have also adopted similar Bitcoin investment strategies.
Such a decision has transformed Bitcoin from a 'niche investment' into an 'enterprise-grade asset.'
Saylor's long-term investment strategy sends a signal that Bitcoin has long-term value and is worthy of institutional trust. This confidence is important for the crypto market, potentially reducing panic selling and excessive speculation, thus stabilizing the Bitcoin market.
Saylor once stated in an interview: 'Our ultimate goal is to become the leading Bitcoin bank, commercial bank, or you can call it a Bitcoin financial company.' There are surely more expectations for MicroStrategy's Bitcoin vision.
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