Michael Saylor, co-founder of MicroStrategy, has recently highlighted the potential impact of a spot Bitcoin exchange-traded fund (ETF) on Wall Street, comparing it to significant financial innovations like the introduction of the S&P 500 index fund. In a Bloomberg interview on December 19, Saylor expressed his belief that the approval of a spot Bitcoin ETF could be the most substantial development in traditional finance since the early 1990s.
Saylor emphasized that such an ETF would provide a compliant and efficient channel for both retail and institutional investors to invest in Bitcoin, a feature currently lacking in the market. He anticipates that the combination of increased demand and the upcoming Bitcoin halving event in April would create a unique market situation, potentially leading to a significant bull run in 2024.
Continuing its strategy of investing in Bitcoin, MicroStrategy, under Saylor’s leadership, plans to increase its Bitcoin holdings through various means, including debt, equity, or business cash flows. Since 2020, the company has offered investors exposure to Bitcoin’s price fluctuations and now holds 174,530 BTC, acquired at an average price of $30,252. Currently valued at $7.3 billion, this investment has yielded a profit of $2.1 billion for MicroStrategy.
Saylor, who was once skeptical of Bitcoin, famously tweeted a decade ago predicting its downfall, likening it to the fate of online gambling. However, his view dramatically changed around 2020 after extensive research into Bitcoin, leading to MicroStrategy incorporating Bitcoin into its balance sheet.
The irony of Saylor’s previous skepticism is not lost on observers, especially considering Bitcoin’s significant price increase from $677 on December 19, 2013, to around $11,650 when MicroStrategy made its first purchase in August 2020. Bitcoin analysts like Dylan LeClair commend Saylor for his ability to revise his views and adapt his strategies in response to new information.