Michael Saylor’s $81T Bitcoin Reserve Plan: A Solution for America’s $36.2T Debt?

Michael Saylor Pushes for US Bitcoin Reserve to Address National Debt

Michael Saylor, the co-founder of Strategy (formerly MicroStrategy), has presented a bold proposal to the US Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) Crypto Task Force on Friday, advocating for a strategic Bitcoin reserve that he claims could generate between $16 trillion and $81 trillion for the US Treasury.

The initiative aims to tackle the nation’s mounting debt, which currently stands at $36.2 trillion as of 5 February 2025.

A Digital Strategy for Economic Stability

Saylor’s plan, outlined within his “Digital Assets Framework,” categorises digital assets into six distinct groups: Digital Commodities, Digital Securities, Digital Currencies, Digital Tokens, Digital NFTs, and Digital ABTs.

Bitcoin, under this model, is classified as a Digital Commodity—an asset with no central issuer, reinforcing its position as a decentralised financial instrument.

Other classifications include Digital Securities, which represent tokenised equity or debt, and Digital Currencies, which cover stablecoins pegged to fiat currencies.

Digital Tokens serve as utility-based assets, Digital NFTs represent unique digital property, while Digital ABTs are tokens linked to physical commodities.

Regulatory Reform to Encourage Innovation

The proposal also calls for a streamlined regulatory process to lower compliance barriers for digital asset issuers.

Saylor suggests limiting issuance compliance costs to 1% of assets under management, with annual maintenance fees capped at 10 basis points.

This, he argues, would encourage broader participation in the digital asset space without stifling innovation through excessive costs.

The SEC’s Crypto Task Force, formed in January 2025, is reassessing its previous enforcement-driven approach, which had led to regulatory uncertainty.

The task force aims to strike a balance between fostering innovation and ensuring investor protection by engaging with key industry figures.

US Government Urged to Secure 20% of Bitcoin Supply

As part of his proposal, Saylor has put forward a significant recommendation: the US government should acquire 20% of Bitcoin’s total circulation.

He believes this would secure the country’s position in the evolving digital economy and provide long-term economic advantages.

This effort is part of a larger debate on digital assets in global finance, as policymakers try to balance regulation with economic opportunities.