Self-Made Bitcoin Billionaire: What Is Michael Saylor’s Net Worth in 2024?

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Michael Saylor is the most popular Bitcoin (BTC) bull in the world. Over the years, Saylor has used his influence to undertake an unconventional Bitcoin accumulation strategy at Nasdaq-listed tech company MicroStrategy (MSTR).

The move has made him the biggest shareholder of a multi-billion dollar company and a Bitcoin billionaire.

In this article, we explore the growth of Michael Saylor’s net worth from his days at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) to his current standing as one of the richest men in the crypto space.

So, how rich is Michael Saylor in 2024?

Key Takeaways

  • Michael Saylor co-founded an enterprise analytics software company called MicroStrategy at the age of 24 in 1989.
  • MicroStrategy listed on the Nasdaq Stock Exchange in 1998.
  • MicroStrategy was the largest corporate holder of Bitcoin at the time of writing.
  • MicroStrategy’s market cap stood at over $22 billion as of May 2024.
  • Saylor was the 796th richest person in the world with a net worth of $4 billion as of May 8, 2024, according to Forbes’ Real-Time Billionaires rankings.

Early Life of Michael Saylor

Michael Saylor was born in Lincoln, Nebraska in 1965. Saylor spent most of his childhood in various U.S. Air Force bases around the world due to his father’s position as an Air Force chief master sergeant.

Saylor excelled in high school and went on to attend the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where he obtained dual degrees in aeronautics and astronautics, as well as science, technology, and society.

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He graduated from MIT in 1987, after which Saylor successfully completed flight officer training and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force.

In 1989, at the age of 24, Saylor co-founded an enterprise analytics software company called MicroStrategy. The company 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.

So, how much money does Michael Saylor have?

How Did Michael Saylor Make His Money?

Michael Saylor is a serial entrepreneur. The majority of Michael Saylor’s wealth was made by successfully creating tech companies like MicroStrategy, Alarm.com, and Angel.com.

Over the last two decades, MicroStrategy has grown to become a multi-billion dollar company.

Companies Market Cap’s data showed that MicroStrategy’s market cap grew from $1 billion in January 2004 to over $22 billion as of May 2024.

MicroStrategy’s Market Capitalization History From 2001 to 2024

The company has been developing and selling enterprise analytics software over the last 30 years.

In the full year 2023, MicroStrategy posted total revenues of $496.26 million. However, MicroStrategy reported a full-year loss of over $115 million, mainly due to digital asset impairment losses.

A portion of Michael Saylor’s money has also come from selling his companies – Alarm.com and Angel.com.

Alarm.com was founded in 2000 as MicroStrategy’s research and development unit. In 2009, MicroStrategy sold Alarm.com to ABS Capital Partners for $27.7 million.

Meanwhile, Angel.com was created by MicroStrategy in 1997. In 2013, MicroStrategy sold Angel.com to Genesys Telecommunications Laboratories in an all-cash deal worth $110 million.

Michael Saylor’s Bitcoin Holdings

Saylor is widely known to be a Bitcoin investor and a staunch advocate. As the executive chairman and former chief executive at MicroStrategy, Saylor has turned MicroStrategy to become a “Bitcoin development company.”

Under this strategy, MicroStrategy uses its cash flows and proceeds from equity and debt financings to accumulate Bitcoin. According to MicroStrategy, Bitcoin is the company’s “primary treasury reserve asset.

As of April 2024, MicroStrategy spent $7.54 billion to acquire 214,400 Bitcoin holdings.

At the time of writing, MicroStrategy’s Bitcoin holding was worth $13.36 billion at the market price of $62,350 per BTC.

MicroStrategy’s Bitcoin accumulation strategy has made it the largest corporate holder of Bitcoin in the world.

Saylor is a Bitcoin billionaire thanks to his equity stake at MicroStrategy.

Bitcoin was the only known cryptocurrency among Michael Saylor’s investments. In a recent social media post, Saylor claimed Bitcoin is better than other investments, including gold, stocks, or real estate. 

What Is Michael Saylor’s Net Worth?

According to Forbes, Michael Saylor’s net worth in 2024 is estimated to be over $4 billion, as of May 8, 2024.

At the time of writing, Saylor was the 796th richest person in the world, Forbes’ Real-Time Billionaires ranking showed.

Michael Saylor’s net worth has grown from $1.6 billion in 2022 to $4 billion in 2024 due to MicroStrategy’s consistent accumulation of Bitcoin and the rise in Bitcoin prices in 2023-2024.

Michael Saylor’s Net Worth by Year

How much does Michael Saylor make in a year at MicroStrategy?

Saylor draws an annual salary of $1 at MicroStrategy. However, MicroStrategy grants stock option awards to its executives.

Wealth Fluctuations

Michael Saylor’s net worth, as tracked by Forbes, can fluctuate depending on two key factors.

1. Market Value of Michael Saylor’s Company

As Saylor holds a significant portion of his wealth in MicroStrategy shares, his net worth can change based on the price performance of MSTR shares.

Over the past year, MSTR’s share price has increased by 330% as of May 8, 2024.

2. Price of Bitcoin

Since accumulating Bitcoin is central to MicroStrategy’s corporate strategy, the price performance of Bitcoin will affect MSTR share prices, which will, in turn, affect Saylor’s net worth.

Over the past one year, BTC price has increased by 124%, as of May 8, 2024.

What Does Michael Saylor Own?

Michael Saylor’s Company: MicroStrategy

Michael Saylor owned a 13.9% stake or 2.4 million shares in MicroStrategy, data compiled by Fintel showed.

According to a 10-Q report filed in May 2024, MicroStrategy said Saylor owned the majority of the company’s Class B common stock.

Holders of MicroStrategy’s class A common stock have one vote per share, while holders of class B common stock have ten votes per share.

As of April 24, 2024, Saylor held over 1.96 million shares of class B common stock outstanding, which accounted for about 55.5% of the total voting power of MicroStrategy’s outstanding common stock.

Major Asset Held by Saylor: Bitcoin

Michael Saylor invests in Bitcoin through his company MicroStrategy. As of May 2024, MicroStrategy held 214,400 BTC worth $13.36 billion at the market price of $62,350 per BTC.

In October 2020, Saylor revealed on Twitter that he personally held 17,732 Bitcoins bought at an average price of $9,882. At the time of writing, his holding was worth over $1.12 billion.

Michael Saylor’s Philanthropic Efforts

Michael Saylor owns a non-profit initiative called Saylor Academy, which offers free educational courses online.

According to Saylor Academy, the non-profit offers over 100 full-length college and professional-level courses for free.

Saylor Academy provides users with digital certificates upon course completion and offers them to earn tuition-free college credit through a network of partner schools.

The academy has provided free educational services to over 1.8 million students worldwide.

The Bottom Line

Michael Saylor’s journey from a determined entrepreneur to a self-made billionaire is an inspiring one. Saylor’s extraordinary approach to Bitcoin accumulation at MicroStrategy is a testament to his bold decision-making and strategic vision.

Today, Saylor has endeared himself to the crypto community due to his unwavering belief in the potential of Bitcoin. His influence extends beyond MicroStrategy and enterprise tech to finance and cryptocurrencies.

FAQs

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Mensholong Lepcha
Crypto Specialist
Mensholong Lepcha
Crypto Specialist

Mensholong is a experienced crypto and blockchain journalist, now a full-time writer at Techopedia. He has contributed with news coverage and in-depth market analysis to Capital.com, StockTwits, XBO, and other publications. He began his writing career at Reuters in 2017, covering global equity markets. In his spare time, Mensholong enjoys watching soccer, finding new music, and buying BTC and ETH for his crypto portfolio.