Michael Saylor's Strategy signals potential bitcoin sale to fund dividends obligations

Finance Share Share this article Copy link X icon X (Twitter) LinkedIn Facebook Email Michael Saylor's Strategy signals potential bitcoin sale to fund dividends obligations Michael Saylor proposes using bitcoin sales to support dividends, as Strategy reported a $12.54 billion Q1 loss. By James Van Straten | Edited by Aoyon Ashraf May 5, 2026, 11:43 p.m. 1 min read Make preferred on What to know : Strategy reported a $12.54 billion Q1 net loss while holding 818,334 bitcoin at an average cost of $75,537; the firm has about 18 months of dividend coverage against $1.5 billion in annual obligations. Executive Chairman Michael Saylor suggested selling bitcoin to pay dividends, contributing to a 3% after-hours drop in the stock and bitcoin slipping below $81,000. Strategy (MSTR), the world’s largest publicly traded corporate holder of bitcoin, floated the idea of selling bitcoin in order to cover its dividend obligations. Executive Chairman Michael Saylor suggested, during its Q1 2026 earnings call, the company may sell a portion of its bitcoin holdings to fund dividend payments, stating: “We will probably sell some bitcoin to pay a dividend just to inoculate the market and send the message that we did it.” The company disclosed a $12.54 billion net loss for Q4, while maintaining a total bitcoin position of 818,334 BTC at an average acquisition cost of $75,537 per coin. Strategy has an outstanding dividend obligation of approximately $1.5 billion, including annualized preferred stock dividends and interest on outstanding debt. The firm has roughly 18 months of dividend coverage, based on its USD reserves relative to these obligations. Saylor described the model as leveraging credit to acquire Bitcoin, allowing it to appreciate, and then selectively selling portions of the asset to meet dividend commitments. "You buy bitcoin with credit, you let it appreciate, and then you sell bitcoin to pay the dividend. Following the announcement, Strategy’s stock fell more than 4% in after-hours trading, while bitcoin declined below $81,000. Bitcoin News MicroStrategy Breaking News More For You The world's entire economy will be tokenized, says Consensys’ Joseph Lubin By Olivier Acuna | Edited by Nikhilesh De 1 hour ago The Consensys CEO and founder said tokenization can be traced back to Ethereum, the blockchain he helped co-found. What to know : Joseph Lubin, the founder and CEO of Consensys and an Ethereum co-founder, said at Consensus Miami 2026 that tokenization of virtually the entire global economy is now inevitable rather than experimental. Lubin argued that Ethereum’s early design enabling anyone to issue tokens without creating a new blockchain has positioned it... Read full story Latest Crypto News Trust in crypto remains biggest barrier to adoption, say Consensus Miami 2026 panelists 1 hour ago The world's entire economy will be tokenized, says Consensys’ Joseph Lubin 1 hour ago It's transparency, not tech alone, that drives crypto adoption, panelists tell Consensus Miami 1 hour ago Different voices in product, policy and hiring change crypto outcomes, panelists tell Consensus Miami 1 hour ago AI agents are breaking web economics, but Cloudflare says x402 can help 1 hour ago Kraken eyes IPO as it partners with MoneyGram to bridge crypto-to-cash gap 2 hours ago Top Stories Strategy posts $12.54 billion Q1 loss on declining bitcoin price 3 hours ago Bitcoin extends gains to $81,500 as tokenization push lifts Bullish, Galaxy, Centrifuge 4 hours ago Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse says Clarity better than chaos as Senate hits key moment 7 hours ago Consensus Miami Day 1: Real-time coverage and highlights from on the ground 10 hours ago Figure targets Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac in mortgage push, citing massive cost cuts for borrowers 6 hours ago Coinbase cuts 14% of staff as AI reshapes how crypto companies operate 12 hours ago