Michael Saylor Sells $216M MicroStrategy Stocks for Bitcoin

MicroStrategy’s executive chairman, Michael Saylor, has initiated the sale of $216 million worth of his company’s shares over a four-month period. This strategic move, revealed in a filing with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission on January 2, involves the liquidation of 315,000 stock options awarded to Saylor in April 2014, with an expiration date of April 30, 2024.

The sale commenced on the same day, with the initial tranche consisting of 5,000 shares. This decision aligns with Saylor’s earlier announcement during MicroStrategy’s third-quarter earnings call on November 2. In that call, he outlined his intention to steadily sell 5,000 MSTR shares daily over the next four months. The proceeds from this divestment will be directed towards addressing personal obligations, as well as further bolstering Saylor’s Bitcoin holdings.

During the call, Saylor emphasized that the execution of these options serves a dual purpose of addressing personal obligations and expanding his personal Bitcoin holdings. Despite the ongoing personal sales, he asserted that his stake in the company’s equity remains “significant.”

According to a November 1 Q-10 filing with the SEC, Saylor is authorized to sell a maximum of 400,000 shares from his vested options between January 2 and April 26 of the current year.

While Bitcoin experienced an impressive 170% surge since the beginning of the previous year, MicroStrategy has surpassed this performance, demonstrating a remarkable 411% gain over the same period, as indicated by TradingView data.

In a notable move on December 27, MicroStrategy acquired an additional 14,620 Bitcoin for $615 million. This strategic purchase elevated MicroStrategy’s total Bitcoin holdings to an astounding 189,150 Bitcoin, valued at approximately $8.5 billion at current market prices.