As a seasoned analyst with over two decades of experience observing global financial markets, I must say that the corporate embrace of Bitcoin as a treasury asset is undoubtedly one of the most intriguing phenomena I’ve witnessed in my career. The transformation of Michael Saylor’s MicroStrategy into a crypto titan is nothing short of remarkable and serves as a beacon for other organizations seeking to diversify their reserves beyond traditional fiat currencies.
Over the past ten years, Bitcoin‘s extraordinary growth has led numerous publicly-traded companies to gradually accumulate Bitcoins as a significant component of their corporate reserves. Notable among these is MicroStrategy, founded by Michael Saylor, which has gained legendary standing in the crypto sphere due to its massive digital hoard. This digital stash is now estimated to account for approximately 1% of the total Bitcoin supply in circulation.
Based on information from CoinGecko, MicroStrategy is reported to possess approximately 226,331 Bitcoins, currently valued at over $13.38 billion. Several other companies are also known to hold substantial amounts of Bitcoin, inspired by the impressive returns seen in Saylor’s company and its positive effect on market value.
In summary, combined holdings of Bitcoin (BTC) by publicly traded companies amount to at least 324,411 BTC, currently valued at approximately $18.9 billion. This significant investment is expected to grow substantially over the coming years.
Bitcoin as an Attractive Treasury Asset
The corporate Bitcoin treasury trend has given birth to a new kind of Bitcoin “hodler”, and it has accelerated with the recent launch of the first Bitcoin spot exchange-traded funds or ETFs earlier this year. Through these BTC ETFs, it has become much easier for organizations to gain exposure to the world’s most valuable crypto asset.
Organizations are eager to learn more about Bitcoin (BTC), as they feel its future growth potential significantly outperforms that of the U.S. dollar, which is experiencing a gradual yet persistent drop without an apparent end, intentionally or otherwise.
As a forward-thinking crypto investor, I firmly believe that owning digital assets like Bitcoin will eventually become commonplace for corporations worldwide. When Michael Saylor initially disclosed his Bitcoin investment, he emphasized its potential as an exceptional store of value and inflation hedge – a rare investment opportunity. In his words, “cash is worthless”.
Advantages of holding Bitcoin
One significant benefit of Bitcoin lies in its universal nature as a form of value storage. Unlike traditional systems tied to specific regions like the U.S. or Asia, Bitcoin is accessible worldwide. People and businesses across the globe can purchase, trade, and hold this cryptocurrency through an extensive network of digital exchanges. This global reach means that Bitcoin has a vast, international pool of liquidity at its disposal.
Bitcoin boasts several technological benefits compared to conventional financial assets, one of its most notable features being its anti-inflationary nature. It operates with a limited supply, meaning there is a predetermined number of Bitcoins in circulation – 21 million to be exact. A significant portion of these coins have already been mined.
Newly created Bitcoins are becoming scarce, a trend that’s become more noticeable following the latest Bitcoin halving event. This scarcity is expected to persist for about the next century, gradually fading away completely.
In addition to the tradition of long-term holding, this results in a very limited supply that can’t possibly meet the expected demand for the asset. Over time, Bitcoin has consistently grown stronger, breaking its past record highs during each new market surge. Moreover, the pool of interested parties continues to expand.
In the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, global economies have experienced fluctuations, but even during the crypto market downturn, digital assets like Bitcoin have shown resilience. One possible reason for this is that Bitcoin, being intangible and not directly linked to traditional economic indicators measured in physical currencies, may offer a unique edge compared to conventional investment options such as bonds, stocks, or real estate.
Bitcoin Is No Longer A Gamble
Bitcoin’s strong ideological appeal extends to corporations due to its unique characteristics. While traditional CFOs prioritize maintaining substantial cash reserves as a quick backup, the allure of cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin is increasing. This is because they offer a safeguard against inflation and arbitrage opportunities. Unlike fiat currencies, no government can regulate or control Bitcoin or Decentralized Finance (DeFi) infrastructure. This results in a censorship-free financial landscape for their investments, providing greater financial freedom.
While Bitcoin won’t appeal to traditional banks, which are instead looking at creating their own cryptocurrencies on blockchains they can control, it will likely find favor with a good number of CFOs.
Elon Musk, a prominent supporter of cryptocurrency and its autonomous, decentralized structure, expressed this viewpoint in an ARK Invest podcast in 2019. He stated that paper money will eventually become obsolete, as he finds digital currency more effective for transferring value compared to physical cash. Moreover, Musk admires the technology behind Bitcoin, describing it as “remarkably clever.”
It’s indisputable that the argument for Bitcoin reserves is strong, and many businesses, both publicly and privately owned, are investing in it. However, the exact quantity of Bitcoin held by private companies remains unclear due to their non-public trading status. Considering that most crypto firms aren’t publicly traded, it wouldn’t be surprising if they own just as much Bitcoin as those that trade on open markets.
Evidence of this comes from Jameson Lopp, the co-founder and Chief Security Officer at Casa, who explained on social media that his company has operated a Bitcoin treasury, under the radar, since 2018.
VALR, a notable digital asset trading platform based in Africa, not only stands as one of the leading crypto exchanges but has also maintained a Bitcoin treasury since its inception in 2017. According to its co-founder and CEO, Farzam Ehsani, VALR has chosen to save its Bitcoin earnings, along with other prominent cryptocurrencies, while spending only fiat currency for operational expenses. As of now, the company has been functioning for approximately 6.5 years.
One striking observation is the substantial size of some cryptocurrency investments, and none surpass MicroStrategy’s. With a value of $13.24 billion, MicroStrategy’s Bitcoin holdings account for more than half of its total market capitalization, which stands at $26.3 billion. Remarkably, this massive investment has been profitable, as the company shelled out $8.3 billion in actual costs over the past four years to acquire that amount of Bitcoin. This translates to a net profit of approximately $4.9 billion.
Saylor’s investment in Bitcoin is proving to be more than just a gamble; it’s starting to look like a smart financial move. What was once considered risky and unconventional is now being adopted by corporate treasuries, and it may soon become the norm. Just as the number of individual Bitcoin investors has increased over time, so too will the number of corporations holding Bitcoin.
Conclusion
It seems that Bitcoin is currently experiencing a surge in a new growth area, and this trend suggests an even broader expansion in the future. As of now, we’re just scratching the surface, with many businesses expected to invest in Bitcoin over the coming years. However, it remains to be seen when widespread adoption will truly take off, as only time can reveal the full picture.
Read More
Sorry. No data so far.
2024-08-13 16:21