MicroStrategy CEO Michael Saylor was one of the first to honor the 16th anniversary of Bitcoin Whitepaper Day, commemorating it on his social media by expressing gratitude to Satoshi Nakamoto for creating what he considers a revolutionary document. Saylor, known for his enthusiasm about Bitcoin, regards it as a transformative innovation, comparing it to fire and electricity in its potential to reshape economies.
Ignoring MicroStrategy’s disappointing quarterly earnings report, Saylor instead chose to celebrate Bitcoin’s milestone by posting on X. Alongside his tribute to Satoshi, he shared a screenshot of MicroStrategy’s recent agreement, finalized on October 30, which authorizes the potential sale of up to $21 billion in Class A common stock through an “at the market” approach. This setup provides flexibility, allowing sales at prevailing market prices and offering MicroStrategy control over the timing and amount of stock sold.
For Saylor, Bitcoin is an enduring, programmable form of money, representing what he calls “economic energy.” Although he acknowledges it may not bring personal happiness, he sees it as a powerhouse for economic storage. Saylor personally owns over 17,000 Bitcoins, valued at around $1.1 billion, while MicroStrategy holds nearly $18 billion in Bitcoin, making it the largest corporate Bitcoin holder worldwide.
On October 31, 2008, Satoshi Nakamoto introduced “Bitcoin: A Peer-to-Peer Electronic Cash System,” a nine-page whitepaper that outlined a decentralized, peer-to-peer digital payment system without intermediaries. This document addressed the “double-spending” issue using proof-of-work and laid the groundwork for a secure, decentralized ledger, which has since fueled the cryptocurrency revolution. Nakamoto’s vision, captured in those nine pages, now supports a vast ecosystem of innovation, spanning from decentralized banking to digital identity verification.
