The approaching shareholder meeting of Microsoft scheduled for the 10th of December is anticipated to draw significant interest. An important agenda item for the tech giant to consider Bitcoin [BTC] investments will be up for discussion during the meeting.
Deliberations on Bitcoin at Microsoft’s Board Meeting
As per a recent submission to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Microsoft’s board of directors and shareholders will deliberate on several crucial matters during the meeting. These include the proposal to integrate BTC as a safeguard against inflation and broader economic changes.
Nevertheless, Microsoft’s board has recommended voting against this proposal, citing that the company has already meticulously evaluated such strategies, based on the disclosure.
In a company statement opposing the proposal, Microsoft underscored its firm stance against Bitcoin investments.
“Prior assessments have considered Bitcoin and alternative digital currencies as viable options, and Microsoft continues to track trends and advancements in this field to guide future decision-making.”
Further Insights into the Situation
This proposition, spearheaded by the National Center for Public Policy Research (NCPPR), referenced MicroStrategy’s successful Bitcoin investment strategy, which it claimed has surpassed Microsoft’s stock performance by more than 300% in the last year, despite MicroStrategy’s smaller scale.
The NCPPR also drew attention to the increasing institutional and corporate interest in Bitcoin, including the emergence of Bitcoin ETFs, arguing that, despite its volatility, Bitcoin could serve as a potential hedge against inflation and decreasing corporate bond yields.
“At the very least, companies should assess the advantages of allocating a portion, even if it’s as minimal as 1%, of their assets to Bitcoin.”
Major Bitcoin Holders and their Influential Role
The institutional holdings of BTC have seen significant growth, with key players like Satoshi Nakamoto, Binance, BlackRock, Grayscale, and MicroStrategy steadily increasing their positions in the leading cryptocurrency.
As a result, the competition to secure Bitcoin has escalated to the extent that BTC ETFs are approaching the total holdings attributed to Nakamoto, as highlighted by Bloomberg ETF analyst Eric Balchunas.
MicroStrategy’s notable Bitcoin acquisition strategy has also inspired entities like Japan’s Metaplanet. Recently, the organization raised 10 billion Yen through a fresh stock issuance as part of its 11th series of Stock Acquisition Rights.
Tesla’s Q3 report emphasized its standing as the fourth-largest BTC holder among U.S.-listed companies, following behind MicroStrategy, Marathon Digital Holdings, and Riot Platforms.
Furthermore, SpaceX’s possession of 8,285 BTC, valued at around $560 million, solidifies its position as the seventh-largest private Bitcoin holder.
Bitcoin and MSFT Stock Analysis
On the 25th of October, BTC was trading at $67,576.65, displaying a 1.02% increase over the previous 24 hours, according to CoinMarketCap.
In contrast, Microsoft (MSFT) shares experienced minor fluctuations, concluding at $424.7 on the 24th of October, with a slight uptick of 0.03%, as per Google Finance.
By the 25th of October, MSFT shares had risen marginally to $424.73, marking a modest 0.13% increase.