According to Finbold, Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) recently made headlines in the cryptocurrency world as its shareholders decisively voted against a proposed corporate investment in Bitcoin (BTC), a move advocated by MicroStrategy’s Michael Saylor. This decision, announced on December 10, had minimal immediate impact on Microsoft's stock price. However, it did cause a brief dip in Bitcoin's value, which quickly recovered. The rejection was not entirely unexpected, given Microsoft founder Bill Gates' long-standing skepticism towards Bitcoin. Gates, a prominent critic of the cryptocurrency, had previously expressed a desire to short Bitcoin back in May 2018, when the cryptocurrency was valued at $9,373. Fast forward to December 13, 2024, Bitcoin's price has surged to $100,273, marking a significant 969.8% increase. This dramatic rise highlights the potential missed opportunity for those who heeded Gates' bearish stance. An investor who chose to go long on Bitcoin with a $1,000 investment at the time of Gates' comment would now see their investment grow to $10,698.07, realizing a profit of $9,068.
Looking ahead, the cryptocurrency community and various on-chain analysts are optimistic about Bitcoin's future performance. The sentiment suggests that Bitcoin is in the early stages of a bull cycle, with the recent milestone of surpassing $100,000 seen as just the beginning. Predictions for 2025 are even more bullish, with a common price target of $250,000 emerging among notable investors and analysts. Robert Kiyosaki, author of 'Rich Dad Poor Dad' and a well-known Bitcoin advocate, is among those forecasting such a rise. More surprisingly, Tom Lee from Fundstrat has echoed this ambitious prediction. If Bitcoin reaches this target, those who invested $1,000 in 2018, contrary to Gates' advice, could see their investment grow to $26,672.36 by next year. This potential growth underscores the ongoing debate about Bitcoin's value and the differing perspectives on its future trajectory.
