邁克爾·塞勒在比特幣上投下重注,本來可能是一次失敗的決策。但他卻因為持有的加密貨幣和MicroStrategy的股票,獲得了一大筆意外之財。
據(jù)美國證券交易委員會(Securities and Exchange Commission)的申報文件顯示,今年以來,MicroStrategy的執(zhí)行董事長和億萬富翁塞勒,根據(jù)去年與公司達成的股份出售計劃,通過出售數(shù)十萬股公司股票,狂賺3.7億美元。
這還不包括他的巨額賬面盈余。截至上周五,塞勒在MicroStrategy持有的股份(不包括股份出售計劃中的股份)以及他最近披露的個人持有的比特幣數(shù)量,總價值約為34.9億美元。自今年年初以來,這些資產(chǎn)的價值上漲了約60%,相當于增加了10億美元。自2023年年初加密貨幣行業(yè)開始反彈以來,他的持股和比特幣讓他的賬面財富增長了近30億美元。
隨著跟蹤比特幣的新交易所交易基金的成立,比特幣價格暴漲,屢創(chuàng)新高,自1月以來,MicroStrategy的股價暴漲。該公司的股價在2023年暴漲超過300%以后,今年已經(jīng)上漲了86%。上周五,公司股價收于約1,174美元,下跌2.8%。與此同時,比特幣價格在2024年上漲了46%,自2023年初以來上漲了近300%。
塞勒曾經(jīng)是加密貨幣的質(zhì)疑者,后來變成了加密貨幣的信徒,他讓MicroStrategy變成了比特幣成功的代言人。過去四年,該公司收購了價值達數(shù)十億美元的比特幣,有時候會使用杠桿。在2020年塞勒擔任CEO期間,Microstrategy收購了首批比特幣——斥資2.5億美元,以約12,000美元的平均價格收購了21,454枚比特幣。
四年來,經(jīng)過后來的多次收購,MicroStrategy持有的比特幣超過214,000枚,約占當前流通的比特幣的1%。按照周六約64,000美元的單價,MicroStrategy持有的比特幣價值約為137億美元。據(jù)福布斯統(tǒng)計,塞勒持有公司約12%的股份,因此他的持股加上個人持有的超過17,000枚比特幣的價值,在他近40億美元的凈資產(chǎn)中占很大一部分。
MicroStrategy并未立即答復《財富》雜志的置評請求。
但塞勒并非一直這么幸運。在互聯(lián)網(wǎng)繁榮時期,他通過MicroStrategy一度成為億萬富翁,但后來遭遇了最大的挫折。2000年,MicroStrategy披露其1999年的營收比最初宣稱的少了25%。此次會計丑聞讓他一天損失了60億美元——這是24小時內(nèi)個人損失史上最慘重的一次。當年晚些時候,美國證券交易委員會指控他違反了聯(lián)邦證券法律,他向該機構(gòu)支付了800萬美元達成和解,但并未認罪。
后來,塞勒對比特幣的投資也被一些投資者和分析師認為是瘋狂之舉。至少研究公司New Constructs的分析師大衛(wèi)·特雷納曾在2022年對《財富》雜志表示,塞勒收購比特幣是在“嚴重地錯誤配置投資者的資本”。
特雷納當時說道:“如果把塞勒比作瘋子,他就是沒有商業(yè)才能的‘小埃隆·馬斯克’?!?/p>
這些否定他的人一度被認為是正確的。2021年11月,比特幣價格突破之前創(chuàng)下的記錄,MicroStrategy賺得盆滿缽滿(至少在賬面上),但后來比特幣價格暴跌,公司的策略卻適得其反。MicroStrategy是2022年表現(xiàn)最差的大盤股之一,主要原因就是比特幣價格下跌。
但塞勒對比特幣的熱情從未動搖。上個月,塞勒對美國消費者新聞與商業(yè)頻道(CNBC)表示,比特幣將“取代黃金的地位”,成為最常見的保值資產(chǎn)。
現(xiàn)在判斷MicroStrategy成為比特幣首選代理人的計劃將如何發(fā)展還為時過早,尤其是今年1月多家有相同目標的現(xiàn)貨比特幣交易所交易基金獲得美國證券交易委員會批準后。
但狂賺數(shù)億美元的塞勒卻一點都不擔心。
他對美國消費者新聞與商業(yè)頻道(CNBC)表示:“如果有一家公司可以以低于1%的利率借款10億美元,來投資你最好的創(chuàng)意,你愿不愿意投資這家公司?”(財富中文網(wǎng))
翻譯:劉進龍
審校:汪皓
MicroStrategy公司執(zhí)行董事長邁克爾·塞勒。JASON KOERNER—GETTY IMAGES FOR BITCOIN MAGAZINE
邁克爾·塞勒在比特幣上投下重注,本來可能是一次失敗的決策。但他卻因為持有的加密貨幣和MicroStrategy的股票,獲得了一大筆意外之財。
據(jù)美國證券交易委員會(Securities and Exchange Commission)的申報文件顯示,今年以來,MicroStrategy的執(zhí)行董事長和億萬富翁塞勒,根據(jù)去年與公司達成的股份出售計劃,通過出售數(shù)十萬股公司股票,狂賺3.7億美元。
這還不包括他的巨額賬面盈余。截至上周五,塞勒在MicroStrategy持有的股份(不包括股份出售計劃中的股份)以及他最近披露的個人持有的比特幣數(shù)量,總價值約為34.9億美元。自今年年初以來,這些資產(chǎn)的價值上漲了約60%,相當于增加了10億美元。自2023年年初加密貨幣行業(yè)開始反彈以來,他的持股和比特幣讓他的賬面財富增長了近30億美元。
隨著跟蹤比特幣的新交易所交易基金的成立,比特幣價格暴漲,屢創(chuàng)新高,自1月以來,MicroStrategy的股價暴漲。該公司的股價在2023年暴漲超過300%以后,今年已經(jīng)上漲了86%。上周五,公司股價收于約1,174美元,下跌2.8%。與此同時,比特幣價格在2024年上漲了46%,自2023年初以來上漲了近300%。
塞勒曾經(jīng)是加密貨幣的質(zhì)疑者,后來變成了加密貨幣的信徒,他讓MicroStrategy變成了比特幣成功的代言人。過去四年,該公司收購了價值達數(shù)十億美元的比特幣,有時候會使用杠桿。在2020年塞勒擔任CEO期間,Microstrategy收購了首批比特幣——斥資2.5億美元,以約12,000美元的平均價格收購了21,454枚比特幣。
四年來,經(jīng)過后來的多次收購,MicroStrategy持有的比特幣超過214,000枚,約占當前流通的比特幣的1%。按照周六約64,000美元的單價,MicroStrategy持有的比特幣價值約為137億美元。據(jù)福布斯統(tǒng)計,塞勒持有公司約12%的股份,因此他的持股加上個人持有的超過17,000枚比特幣的價值,在他近40億美元的凈資產(chǎn)中占很大一部分。
MicroStrategy并未立即答復《財富》雜志的置評請求。
但塞勒并非一直這么幸運。在互聯(lián)網(wǎng)繁榮時期,他通過MicroStrategy一度成為億萬富翁,但后來遭遇了最大的挫折。2000年,MicroStrategy披露其1999年的營收比最初宣稱的少了25%。此次會計丑聞讓他一天損失了60億美元——這是24小時內(nèi)個人損失史上最慘重的一次。當年晚些時候,美國證券交易委員會指控他違反了聯(lián)邦證券法律,他向該機構(gòu)支付了800萬美元達成和解,但并未認罪。
后來,塞勒對比特幣的投資也被一些投資者和分析師認為是瘋狂之舉。至少研究公司New Constructs的分析師大衛(wèi)·特雷納曾在2022年對《財富》雜志表示,塞勒收購比特幣是在“嚴重地錯誤配置投資者的資本”。
特雷納當時說道:“如果把塞勒比作瘋子,他就是沒有商業(yè)才能的‘小埃隆·馬斯克’。”
這些否定他的人一度被認為是正確的。2021年11月,比特幣價格突破之前創(chuàng)下的記錄,MicroStrategy賺得盆滿缽滿(至少在賬面上),但后來比特幣價格暴跌,公司的策略卻適得其反。MicroStrategy是2022年表現(xiàn)最差的大盤股之一,主要原因就是比特幣價格下跌。
但塞勒對比特幣的熱情從未動搖。上個月,塞勒對美國消費者新聞與商業(yè)頻道(CNBC)表示,比特幣將“取代黃金的地位”,成為最常見的保值資產(chǎn)。
現(xiàn)在判斷MicroStrategy成為比特幣首選代理人的計劃將如何發(fā)展還為時過早,尤其是今年1月多家有相同目標的現(xiàn)貨比特幣交易所交易基金獲得美國證券交易委員會批準后。
但狂賺數(shù)億美元的塞勒卻一點都不擔心。
他對美國消費者新聞與商業(yè)頻道(CNBC)表示:“如果有一家公司可以以低于1%的利率借款10億美元,來投資你最好的創(chuàng)意,你愿不愿意投資這家公司?”(財富中文網(wǎng))
翻譯:劉進龍
審校:汪皓
Michael Saylor’s big bet on Bitcoin was supposed to be his downfall. Instead, it has helped him reap a huge windfall from his holdings in the cryptocurrency and in MicroStrategy stock.
So far this year, the billionaire executive chairman of MicroStrategy has made $370 million by selling hundreds of thousands of company shares through a stock-sale plan struck with the company last year, according to filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
But that doesn’t include his massive paper profits. As of Friday, the combination of Saylor’s total MicroStrategy shares (excluding those in the stock-sale plan) and his last revealed count of personal Bitcoin were worth approximately $3.49 billion. Since the start of this year, that’s a gain of about 60%, or upwards of $1 billion. And since the start of 2023—when the crypto sector began rebounding—his shares and Bitcoin holdings have given him approximate paper gains of just under $3 billion.
The value of MicroStrategy’s stock has exploded since January as Bitcoin soared to new highs in part due to the launch of new exchange-traded funds that track the token. MicroStrategy’s shares are up 86% after soaring more than 300% in 2023. Shares closed down 2.8% at about $1,174 on Friday. Meanwhile, Bitcoin is up 46% in 2024 and has leapt nearly 300% since the start of 2023.
Saylor, the once-crypto skeptic turned believer, has made MicroStrategy into a proxy for Bitcoin’s success. Over the past four years, the company bought up billions of dollars worth of the token, sometimes using leverage. While he was CEO in 2020, Microstrategy bought its first Bitcoin tokens—spending $250 million to buy 21,454 at an average price of about $12,000 each.
Four years and multiple purchases later, MicroStrategy owns more than 214,000 Bitcoin, about 1% of all tokens in circulation. At Saturday's price of about $64,000 per Bitcoin, MicroStrategy’s holdings are worth about $13.7 billion. Because Saylor owns about 12% of the company’s shares, his stock holdings plus his personal stash of more than 17,000 Bitcoin factor in majorly to his net worth of just under $4 billion, according to Forbes.
MicroStrategy did not immediately respond to Fortune’s request for comment.
But Saylor hasn’t always been this lucky. After he became a billionaire through MicroStrategy during the dot-com boom, Saylor faced his biggest obstacle. In 2000, MicroStrategy disclosed that its revenue from 1999 was 25% less than it had originally claimed. The accounting scandal cost him $6 billion in one day—the most any single person had ever lost in the span of 24 hours up to then. The SEC accused him of violating federal securities laws later that year, and he settled the charges, paying $8 million to the agency without admitting wrongdoing.
Later, Saylor’s Bitcoin moves were also seen by investors and analysts as crazy. At least one analyst, David Trainer of research firm New Constructs, told Fortune in 2022 that Saylor was “grossly misallocating his investors’ capital,” with his Bitcoin purchases.
“In terms of madmen, Saylor is ‘Elon Junior,’ without the business talent,” Trainer said at the time.
For a while it seemed as if the naysayers were right. After making a killing for MicroStrategy (at least on paper) when Bitcoin hit its previous high point in November 2021, the company’s approach backfired when Bitcoin prices plummeted. MicroStrategy was one of the worst performing large-cap stocks of 2022, largely because of falling Bitcoin prices.
Still, Saylor never wavered in his dedication. Last month, Saylor told CNBC that Bitcoin was “going to eat gold,” replacing it as the most common store of value.
It may still be too soon to tell how MicroStrategy’s plan to be the go-to proxy for Bitcoin will fare, especially after several spot Bitcoin ETFs meant to do the same thing were approved by the SEC in January.
Yet Saylor, with his newly minted millions, isn’t worried in the slightest.
“Is there any company in the world that you wouldn’t like to invest in that could borrow $1 billion at less than 1% interest to invest in your best idea?” he told CNBC.