The world’s largest publicly traded business intelligence firm, MicroStrategy has announced plans to invest the proceeds from a $400 million securities offering into Bitcoin.
On Dec. 7, the firm revealed plans to issue $400 million in convertible senior notes — a debt security that can be converted into the issuing company’s shares. The announcement stated:
“Microstrategy intends to invest the net proceeds from the sale of the notes in Bitcoin.”
At current prices, the $400 million would increase the company’s holdings by 20,833, which would bring the firm’s total crypto stash to almost 62,000 BTC.
Microstrategy will pay semi-annual interest to the note-holders until December 2025. The firm also reserves the right to redeem the notes for cash from Dec. 20, 2023.
The announcement states that MicroStrategy may also offer up to an additional $60 million worth of notes to its initial purchasers within 13 days of commencing the offering.
The securities will be issued under Rule 144 of the Securities Act, and will be available to qualified institutional investors only.
In response to MicroStrategy’s announcement, Gabor Gurbacs, the CEO of New York-based investment firm VanEck, suggested the offering is more indicative of a digital asset fund than a publicly listed company:
At what point does a securities offering that raises dollars with the purpose of investing in Bitcoin make a publicly listed company to be a listed fund/investment company?
— Gabor Gurbacs (@gaborgurbacs) December 7, 2020
MicroStrategy made waves in the crypto world during August, when the firm revealed it had adopted Bitcoin as its primary reserve asset after purchasing 21,454 BTC for $250 million. It then purchased a further 16,796 BTC for $175 million the following month. The purchases were made through Coinbase’s OTC and brokerage platform.
Just a few days ago on Dec. 5, MicroStrategy’s CEO, Michael Saylor, announced the firm had purchased a further 2,574 BTC priced at approximately $19,427 each for $50 million, bringing its total crypto holdings up to roughly 40,824 BTC.
At current market value, MicroStrategy’s BTC stash is worth nearly $784 million, meaning the firm is currently up 65% on its $475 million investment.
