Michael Saylor’s Vision for a Bitcoin Legacy
Michael Saylor, Executive Chairman of MicroStrategy, has no intention of letting his wealth vanish without leaving a mark.
In a recent conversation with “The New Zealand Herald”, Saylor expressed his intention to leave his Bitcoin fortune to the world, following the philosophy of Bitcoin’s enigmatic creator, Satoshi Nakamoto.
Just as Nakamoto left approximately 1.1 million Bitcoin to the world, Saylor intends to do the same with his vast Bitcoin holdings, aiming to leave his wealth for the benefit of humanity.
Unlike many billionaires who establish legacies through family or charitable endeavours, Saylor, with no family or heirs, openly discussed his future plans:
“I’m a single guy, I have no children — when I’m gone, I’m gone. Just like Satoshi left a million Bitcoin to the universe, so I’m leaving whatever I’ve got to civilisation.”
Why Bitcoin is More Than Just Money
Saylor doesn’t view Bitcoin as merely a digital currency; for him, it represents a fundamental shift in the way economies can operate.
He likens Bitcoin to vital components of modern society, such as electricity and steel.
"You take away steel and electricity — those are two big ones. Take away the electricity, you have no elevator. Take away steel, the building falls over," he explained.
To Saylor, Bitcoin offers a similarly indispensable foundation for the future economy.
He describes it as "clean, silent, programmable, immortal money," a currency that transcends borders and time.
The Challenge of Preserving Wealth in a Degrading Currency
One of Saylor’s core arguments for Bitcoin lies in its ability to preserve value over time, in stark contrast to traditional fiat currencies that consistently lose their purchasing power.
He points to inflation as the silent eroder of wealth:
"The rate of the dollar is 7% a year for 100 years. When you lose 7% of your energy for 100 years, you lose 99.9% of whatever you are."
In his view, Bitcoin provides a hedge against this degradation, making it the ideal asset for those who want their wealth — whether personal, corporate, or institutional — to endure across generations.
Can Bitcoin Solve the World’s Problems?
Although Saylor is a staunch advocate of Bitcoin, he remains realistic about its limitations.
"It won’t fly you, it won’t cure your cancer, it won’t make you happy, it won’t solve your mental issue, and it won’t make your children love you," he candidly remarked.
However, he believes that Bitcoin’s value lies in its role as a source of "economic energy," asserting that it has the potential to solve half of the world’s problems.
By positioning Bitcoin as an incorruptible store of value, he argues that it can help stabilise economies and safeguard wealth for future generations.
The Strategic Accumulation of Bitcoin at MicroStrategy
MicroStrategy’s foray into Bitcoin began in August 2020 under Saylor’s leadership.
The company has since built up an enormous stash of 252,200 BTC, representing about 1.2% of the total Bitcoin supply.
Valued at approximately $16.9 billion, this collection is not just a passive investment.
Saylor has aggressively raised capital through various means to continue acquiring Bitcoin, positioning MicroStrategy as one of the largest corporate holders of the asset.
His ambition doesn’t stop there, as the company aims to become a "Bitcoin bank" and even achieve a trillion-dollar valuation by issuing securities backed by the cryptocurrency.
Are Fears About Bitcoin Seizure Overblown?
Saylor has not shied away from addressing concerns within the Bitcoin community.
He dismisses the worries of "paranoid crypto-anarchists" who fear government seizure of Bitcoin held on regulated platforms.
He believes these anxieties are exaggerated, particularly when considering custody options available through established financial institutions.
"When Bitcoin is held by a bunch of crypto-anarchists who aren’t regulated entities... that increases the risk of seizure," Saylor commented.
He advocates for using regulated firms such as BlackRock, Fidelity, and JPMorgan as safer custodians for large Bitcoin holdings.
The Profound Economic Shift Saylor Sees in Bitcoin
For Saylor, Bitcoin is more than a fleeting trend in the financial world; it is a transformative force that will reshape global economics.
He views it as a step forward in turning economics from an art into a science.
"With 8 billion people with crypto steel or economic steel, we can build something much grander in the 21st century than all the 20th-century economists struggling with clay and cotton candy," Saylor proclaimed, signalling his belief in Bitcoin's potential to revolutionise the future of human progress.
In his eyes, the world is on the cusp of a new economic era, and Bitcoin is the engine driving that change.
Saylor’s legacy, much like that of Nakamoto, will likely be defined by his contributions to this shift, leaving an enduring imprint on civilisation long after he’s gone.