Michael Saylor Turns 60: A Bitcoin Legacy

Today, February 4, marks the 60th birthday of Bitcoin evangelist and MicroStrategy co-founder Michael Saylor. Over the past four years, he has radically transformed his company, stepping down as CEO to fully embrace a Bitcoin-first strategy.

From Dotcom Fortune to Bitcoin Visionary

Born in 1965 in Lincoln, Nebraska, Saylor pursued aeronautics and astronautics at MIT, a background he once mentioned to Elon Musk in a tweet. In 1989, he co-founded MicroStrategy, originally focused on business analytics software.

During the dotcom boom of the late 1990s, MicroStrategy thrived, making Saylor a multi-billionaire due to his large stake in MSTR stock. However, the bursting of the bubble in 2000 and financial restatements caused MSTR to crash, wiping out much of his fortune. Saylor later described this as the darkest day of his life.

MicroStrategy’s Bitcoin Pivot

In August 2020, Saylor made a game-changing decision: he allocated MicroStrategy’s cash reserves into Bitcoin. Initially, purchases were sporadic, but under his leadership, the company doubled down, funding BTC acquisitions by issuing convertible debt to investors.

MicroStrategy also distributes monthly yields to MSTR holders from its Bitcoin earnings, effectively positioning itself as a hybrid Bitcoin investment vehicle.

The Bitcoin Holdings That Changed Everything

As of today, MicroStrategy holds 471,107 BTC, valued at approximately $46.98 billion, despite Bitcoin’s recent dip below $100,000.

Saylor himself holds 17,732 BTC, worth around $1.77 billion at current market prices. His personal net worth now stands at $8.8 billion, primarily due to his Bitcoin stake and the success of MSTR stock, which continues to trade high alongside BTC.

Final Thoughts

Michael Saylor’s journey from dotcom billionaire to Bitcoin maximalist is nothing short of extraordinary. His relentless Bitcoin advocacy has transformed MicroStrategy into the world’s largest corporate BTC holder, securing his place as one of crypto’s most influential figures. As Bitcoin evolves, Saylor’s bold “Bitcoin standard” strategy continues to shape the future of corporate treasury management.