Is Michael Saylor following in Satoshi Nakamoto’s footsteps?

Michael Saylor, the co-founder and executive chairman of MicroStrategy, recently stated his intention to leave his fortune to humanity, following in the footsteps of Satoshi Nakamoto, the anonymous creator of Bitcoin.

In an insightful interview with The New Zealand Herald, Saylor outlined his vision for Bitcoin as a key component of the future economy, equating it with vital inventions like electricity and steel.

“I’m a single guy, I have no children — when I’m gone, I’m gone. Just like Satoshi left a million Bitcoin to the universe, so I’m leaving whatever I’ve got to civilization,” he remarked, underscoring his belief that Bitcoin is more than a financial asset; it is a transformative force for humanity.

Saylor described Bitcoin as “clean, silent, programmable, immortal money,” emphasizing its ability to retain value over time compared to traditional currencies, which he likened to “fragile economic clay or balsa wood.”

He explained, “The rate of the dollar is 7% a year for 100 years. When you lose 7% of your energy for 100 years, you lose 99.9% of whatever you are,” illustrating his view that Bitcoin is essential for preserving wealth.

Additionally, Saylor emphasized Bitcoin’s role as an “economic energy” source, stating, “It won’t fly you, it won’t cure your cancer, it won’t make you happy, it won’t solve your mental issue, and it won’t make your children love you. However, it’s economic energy—it’ll solve half the world’s problems.”

While Saylor supports Bitcoin’s potential, he has sparked controversy by criticizing what he refers to as “paranoid crypto-anarchists.”

He addressed concerns about Bitcoin seizures from centralized custody platforms, claiming that fears of government actions are overstated. “When Bitcoin is held by a bunch of crypto-anarchists who aren’t regulated entities… that increases the risk of seizure,” he said.

Saylor suggested that using regulated firms like BlackRock, Fidelity, and JPMorgan offers a safer way to hold Bitcoin.

Under Saylor’s leadership, MicroStrategy has accumulated 252,200 Bitcoin, valued at around $16 billion, making it the largest corporate holder of Bitcoin. The company aims to become a “Bitcoin bank” and aspires to achieve a trillion-dollar valuation by issuing securities backed by Bitcoin.