Michael Saylor is the world’s most popular Bitcoin (BTC) bull. For years, Saylor has used his influence to pursue an unconventional Bitcoin accumulation strategy at Nasdaq-listed technology company MicroStrategy (MSTR).
This move made him the largest shareholder in a multi-billion dollar company and made him a Bitcoin billionaire.
This article examines the evolution of Michael Saylor’s net worth from his time at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) to his current position as one of the richest people in the crypto world.
How rich is Michael Saylor in 2024?
Michael Saylor’s early life
Michael Saylor was born in 1965 in Lincoln, Nebraska. Due to his father’s position as an Air Force Master Sergeant Major, Saylor spent most of his childhood at various US Air Force bases around the world.
Saylor excelled in high school and attended the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, earning dual degrees in aerospace engineering and science, technology, and society.
He graduated from MIT in 1987, after which Saylor successfully completed his flight officer training and was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the United States Air Force.
In 1989, at the age of 24, Saylor co-founded a business analytics software company he called MicroStrategy. The company was listed on the Nasdaq Stock Exchange in 1998.
In addition to MicroStrategy, Saylor also founded a home security company called Alarm.com and voice response service provider Angel.com.
How did Michael Saylor make his money?
Michael Saylor is a serial entrepreneur. Most of Michael Saylor’s wealth came from successfully founding technology companies such as MicroStrategy, Alarm.com, and Angel.com.
Over the past two decades, MicroStrategy has grown into a multi-billion dollar company. According to market capitalization data of companies, MicroStrategy’s market capitalization has increased from its $1 billion in January 2004 to more than $22 billion in May 2024.
The company has been developing and selling enterprise analytics software for 30 years.
MicroStrategy’s total revenue for the full year 2023 was $496.26 million. However, MicroStrategy reported a loss of more than $115 million for the year, mainly due to digital asset impairments.
Some of Michael Saylor’s funding also comes from the sale of his companies Alarm.com and Angel.com.
Alarm.com was founded in 2000 as the research and development arm of MicroStrategy. In 2009, MicroStrategy sold Alarm.com to ABS Capital Partners for $27.7 million.
Angel.com was founded in 1997 by MicroStrategy. In 2013, MicroStrategy sold Angel.com to Genesys Telecommunications Laboratories in an all-cash transaction valued at $110 million.
Michael Saylor’s Bitcoin Holdings
Mr. Saylor is widely known as a Bitcoin investor and avid supporter. As chairman and former CEO of MicroStrategy, Saylor turned his MicroStrategy into a “Bitcoin development company.”
Under this strategy, MicroStrategy accumulates Bitcoin using cash flow and proceeds from equity and debt financing. According to MicroStrategy, Bitcoin is its “primary financial reserve asset.”
In April 2024, MicroStrategy invested $7.54 billion to acquire his holdings of 214,400 Bitcoin.
MicroStrategy’s Bitcoin accumulation strategy has made it the world’s largest Bitcoin holding company.
Saylor is a Bitcoin billionaire thanks to his MicroStrategy stock.
Bitcoin was the only known cryptocurrency that Michael Saylor had invested in. In a recent social media post, Saylor argued that Bitcoin was superior to other investments such as gold, stocks and real estate.
What is Michael Saylor’s net worth?
According to Forbes, Michael Saylor’s net worth is estimated to be over $4 billion in 2024 (as of May 8, 2024).
At the time of this writing, Saylor was the 796th richest person in the world, according to Forbes magazine’s Real-Time Richest People Ranking.
Michael Saylor’s net worth increased from $1.6 billion in 2022 to $4 billion in 2024, reflecting the continued accumulation of Bitcoin by MicroStrategy and the rise in Bitcoin prices in 2023. This can be attributed to the year 2024.
How much does Michael Saylor make annually at MicroStrategy?
Saylor earns a salary of $1 per year at MicroStrategy. However, MicroStrategy does offer stock option bonuses to its executives.
Changes in Net Worth
Michael Saylor’s net worth, as tracked by Forbes, can fluctuate depending on two important factors.
1. Market Value of Michael Saylor’s Company
Saylor’s net worth is susceptible to changes in the price of MSTR shares, since a sizeable amount of his net worth is invested in MicroStrategy shares.
Over the past year, MSTR stock has increased by 330% as of May 8, 2024.
2. Bitcoin Price
Because Bitcoin accumulation is central to MicroStrategy’s corporate strategy, changes in the price of Bitcoin will impact MSTR’s stock price and, in turn, Saylor’s net worth.
Last year, as of May 8, 2024, BTC price increased by 124%.
What does Michael Saylor own?
Michael Saylor’s company: MicroStrategy
According to data compiled by Fintel, Michael Saylor owned 13.9% of MicroStrategy, or 2.4 million shares.
In its May 2024 10th quarter filing, MicroStrategy said Thaler owns a majority of the company’s Class B common stock.
The holder of MicroStrategy’s Class A common stock has one vote per share, and the holder of Class B common stock has 10 votes per share.
Saylor owned more than 1.96 million outstanding shares of class B common stock as of April 24, 2024, or around 55.5% of all outstanding common stock of MicroStrategy with voting power.
Saylor’s largest asset: Bitcoin
Michael Saylor invests in Bitcoin through his company MicroStrategy. As of May 2024, MicroStrategy held 214,400 BTC worth $13.36 billion at a market price of $62,350 per BTC.
In October 2020, Mr. Saylor revealed on Twitter that he personally owned 17,732 Bitcoins, which he purchased at an average price of $9,882. As of this writing, his stock was worth more than $1.12 billion.
Michael Saylor’s Philanthropy
Michael Saylor owns a nonprofit called Saylor Academy, which offers free online educational courses.
According to Saylor Academy, the nonprofit offers more than 100 full graduate and professional-level courses for free.
Saylor Academy provides users with a digital certificate upon course completion and the opportunity to earn tuition-free credits through our network of partner schools.
Academy has provided free educational services to over 1.8 million students worldwide.
Conclusion
Michael Saylor’s journey from determined entrepreneur to self-made millionaire is inspiring. Mr. Saylor’s exceptional approach to Bitcoin accumulation at MicroStrategy is a testament to his bold decision-making and strategic vision.
Today, Mr. Saylor has made a name for himself in the cryptocurrency community for his unwavering belief in Bitcoin’s potential. His influence extends beyond MicroStrategy and enterprise technology to finance and cryptocurrencies.