Microstrategy founder Michael Saylor says he will return his Bitcoin trove ‘to the civilization’ after he’s gone

Michael Saylor, the executive chairman of MicroStrategy, has shared plans to leave his Bitcoin wealth to “the civilization” after his death. In an interview with Madison Reidy on Markets with Madison on Oct. 21, Saylor, who has no children, stated that he intends to follow in the footsteps of Bitcoin’s mysterious creator, Satoshi Nakamoto, by leaving his Bitcoin holdings to the world. “When I’m gone, I’m gone. Just like Satoshi left a million Bitcoin to the universal, I’m leaving whatever I’ve got to the civilization,” Saylor said.

Saylor’s comment reflects his belief in Bitcoin as a foundational element for civilization, comparing it to a solid granite-like foundation upon which societies can be built. He drew a parallel to the biblical idea of building on solid rock rather than sinking sand, describing Bitcoin as the “recipe for civilization.”

As of January 2024, there were 19.6 million Bitcoin in circulation, with only 1.4 million left to be mined. Bitcoin’s total supply is capped at 21 million, with all coins expected to be mined by the year 2140. Saylor’s plan to return his Bitcoin wealth to the market would effectively help replenish Bitcoin’s circulating supply.

Saylor’s personal holdings of Bitcoin were valued at over $1 billion as of August 2024, which at the time equated to approximately 17,857 BTC, based on Bitcoin’s price of $56,000. With Bitcoin’s price rising, that amount of BTC could now be worth more than $1.1 billion.

MicroStrategy, the company Saylor founded, holds the largest Bitcoin reserve of any public company, with 252,220 BTC. The company’s Bitcoin stash has grown significantly, with its most recent purchase on Sept. 20 adding 7,420 BTC to its holdings. By March 2024, MicroStrategy’s Bitcoin assets accounted for more than 1% of the total Bitcoin market, marking an unrealized profit margin of approximately $6 billion.