Recently, Saylor made headlines when he appealed to Microsoft's CEO, Satya Nadella, to invest in Bitcoin. Directly calling out to the tech mogul on Twitter, Saylor surmised that the leading cryptocurrency could unlock for Microsoft shareholders a further trillion dollars in wealth. "Hey @SatyaNadella, if you want to make the next trillion dollars for $MSFT shareholders, call me," he tweeted, in reference to the potential drives of huge financial returns from Bitcoin.
The suggestion by Saylor has come amid news that Microsoft's shareholders would vote on a Bitcoin investment proposal on December 10, though the company's board has recommended voting against it. The proposal, in turn, cited inflationary pressures for companies to double their balance sheets with value-carrying assets such as Bitcoin.
Bitcoin as Corporate Investment
Saylor is encouraging Microsoft to invest in Bitcoin, citing the success of MicroStrategy with regards to its self-involving strategy in Bitcoin. In a document attached to his post, the National Center For Public Policy stated that MicroStrategy's stock has outperformed Microsoft this year by 313%, notwithstanding it being a much smaller technology firm. According to Saylor, Bitcoin is becoming increasingly common both in institutions and corporate adoptions. Even BlackRock, Microsoft's second-largest shareholder, has launched a Bitcoin ETF-a more significant sign of the acceptance of Bitcoin into traditional finance.
Saylor's Vision of Bitcoin and Corporate America
Saylor has become one of the most ardent Bitcoin advocates, touting it as an inflation hedge. In a statement, he revealed how companies may have some sort of fiduciary duty to make sure that their balance sheets have diversified assets appreciating faster than bonds, especially in times of inflation. Saylor still hopes this investment by Microsoft will prove to be a tipping point for corporate America, unleashing wider institutional acceptance of Bitcoin.
Controversies Surrounding Saylor's Comments
As expected, not devoid of some controversies, Saylor has been quite the public advocate for Bitcoin. Days before the statement to Nadella, Saylor was among those who drew eyes and ears when promising to leave his Bitcoin fortune "to the civilization" upon his death, similar to what Satoshi Nakamoto did. Though this development was met with much applause by several sections, Saylor did receive backlash for comments on self-custody wallets. His first remarks referred to some in the crypto space as "paranoid crypto-anarchists," a comment he quickly retracted, saying he is all for self-custody, freedom of choice for individuals and institutions. Saylor's X post outlined his stance: "I support self custody for those willing & able, right to self custody for all, and freedom to choose the form of custody & custodian for individuals & institutions globally." His words underlined a more general message on Bitcoin investment inclusiveness-that Bitcoin should tolerate all forms of investors and forms of custody.
MicroStrategy's Success with Bitcoin
The stock of MicroStrategy has continued to soar as the company positions itself as a "Bitcoin bank." Recently, its shares topped Microsoft's in terms of growth and ventured further to expose what is possible with companies willing to include Bitcoin in their financial strategy. By sending this appeal to Microsoft, Saylor is showing that he believes in Bitcoin as a financial asset capable of driving sudden and explosive growth in the tech world.
Conclusion
Michael Saylor's call for Microsoft to adopt Bitcoin underlines his continued commitment to the future of Bitcoin in the corporate world. Despite the recent controversies surrounding him, Saylor remains a strong advocate of Bitcoin, urging traditional corporations to stop and have a more serious look at Bitcoin's benefits within an inflationary economy. With the success of MicroStrategy and the support of BlackRock for a Bitcoin ETF, Saylor's proposition of Microsoft may open doors toward broader institutional adoption. Whether Microsoft follows suit or not, the Saylor crusade is a manifestation of the growing trend for Bitcoin advocacy in corporate America.
