Michael Saylor is an American entrepreneur and Bitcoin advocate, best known as the founder of MicroStrategy, a company that has become one of the largest corporate holders of Bitcoin. Born in 1965 in Lincoln, Nebraska, Saylor grew up in a military family, spending his childhood on various U.S. Air Force bases before eventually settling near Dayton, Ohio.
Education and Early Career
Saylor attended the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) on a full Air Force Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) scholarship. He graduated with honors, earning dual degrees in Aeronautics & Astronautics and the History of Science. Initially, he aspired to be a military pilot, but due to health issues, he shifted his focus to business consulting, specializing in computer-based simulations for major corporations like DuPont.
Founding of MicroStrategy
In 1989, at just 24 years old, Saylor co-founded MicroStrategy alongside his MIT classmate Sanju Bansal. The company initially focused on business intelligence and data analytics software, helping enterprises make data-driven decisions. By 1998, MicroStrategy went public on the NASDAQ stock exchange and established itself as a leader in the field of business analytics, serving thousands of organizations worldwide.
Bitcoin Investment and Corporate Strategy
In 2020, Saylor made a historic decision to convert MicroStrategy’s cash reserves into Bitcoin, viewing it as a hedge against inflation and economic instability. Since then, the company has consistently increased its Bitcoin holdings.
As of February 24, 2025, MicroStrategy owns approximately 499,096 Bitcoins, representing over 2% of the total Bitcoin supply. The total acquisition cost for these holdings is estimated at $33.1 billion, with an average purchase price of $66,357 per Bitcoin.
Challenges and Controversies
Saylor’s aggressive Bitcoin strategy has been both praised and criticized. Some analysts see him as a visionary, revolutionizing corporate finance, while others warn about the risks of exposing a public company to such a volatile asset.
In 2024, Saylor agreed to pay a $40 million fine in a tax fraud settlement, addressing allegations that he evaded taxes in Washington, D.C.
Summary
Michael Saylor remains one of the most influential figures in the cryptocurrency industry, continuously advocating for Bitcoin as a cornerstone of corporate and personal financial strategy. His commitment to Bitcoin has reshaped the way institutions approach digital assets, making him a key player in the ongoing evolution of the crypto space.
We will summarize our argument today about Mr. Saylor with one of his tweets: #Bitcoin is digital energy. With this technology we can deliver any amount of power, at any frequency, anywhere in time and space, with nearly zero friction. It is smarter, faster, and stronger than mechanical energy, chemical energy, or electrical energy. It is the future.
