Michael Saylor says only one nation can own 20% of Bitcoin, and it’ll be the US

Michael Saylor has a warning for Washington—if the United States doesn’t move fast, it could miss out on the biggest financial power shift of the century.

Speaking at CPAC 2025, Saylor, the executive chairman of Strategy (formerly MicroStrategy), told an audience packed with investors and conservative leaders that the US has a unique opportunity to own 20% of Bitcoin’s total supply—but only if it acts now.

“The US could own 20% of the network like that—for free,” Saylor said on stage. “The dollar would strengthen, the nation would be enriched, and we could generate a $50 trillion to $80 trillion benefit for the United States.” He didn’t mince words. The race for Bitcoin dominance is underway, and in Saylor’s view, there’s only room for one country to take the lead.

Bitcoin is America’s next Alaska

Saylor compared Bitcoin’s potential strategic value to some of the biggest territorial acquisitions in US history. “This nation became great because of the Louisiana Purchase,” he said, referring to the 1803 deal where the US bought a third of its current landmass from France for what now seems like pocket change. He didn’t stop there.

“Then we bought Texas and California from Mexico. Then Alaska from Russia for $7.2 million. Back then, they called it ‘Seward’s Folly.’ But Alaska alone has generated trillions in economic value. What we’re looking at now is the same play—but in cyberspace.”

For Saylor, Bitcoin is the new frontier, and the US must claim its stake before rival nations do. “All the Chinese money, the Russian money, the European money—it’s all flowing into cyberspace. The 21st century economy will be built on digital property, and Bitcoin is the foundation.”

Saylor argued that America’s financial dominance depends on whether it secures a Bitcoin reserve before other global powers step in. “The Saudis, the Russians, the Chinese, the Europeans—if any of them move first, they’ll get 20% of the network and lock the US out of the future financial system,” he warned. “There’s only room for one country to do this. And it has to be us.”

Trump is paying attention

Saylor’s push for a US Bitcoin reserve isn’t just theoretical—it’s gaining political momentum. He claimed that the idea is already on the radar of Washington’s power players, including Donald Trump.

“President Trump understands the value of property. He understands the value of owning something no one else can take from you,” Saylor said.

At a recent event in Miami, Trump spoke about Bitcoin’s role in the US economy, fueling speculation that his administration could make a major move on digital assets.

“If we do this now, we erase the national debt, we flip the US into a creditor nation within a decade, and we dominate the digital economy for the next 100 years,” Saylor explained.

He also hinted that behind closed doors, discussions are already happening. “There’s an appreciation of Bitcoin’s power throughout the Cabinet, the House, and the Senate,” he said. “There’s going to be a political process to build consensus, but this is happening.”

Bitcoin is the strongest asset in the world

Saylor laid out why he believes Bitcoin is the only asset worth holding. “It’s the most powerful digital network in the world. It’s the only thing you can own that no government, company, or institution can corrupt,” he said. “No one can print more of it, freeze it, tax it away, or seize it.”

He described Bitcoin as ‘economic armor’, protecting individuals and nations alike from financial instability. “You put on this armor, and no one can debank you. No one can steal your savings through inflation. No one can shut you out of the economy,” he said.

For Saylor, the US dollar and Bitcoin don’t have to compete—they can work together. “If we integrate Bitcoin into the national reserve, we strengthen the dollar,” he said. “We attract global capital instead of watching it leave. We anchor US financial power in a system that no one else can control.”

Saylor says the future is digital, and the US must own it

Saylor didn’t shy away from how fast the world is changing. “The 21st-century economy isn’t going to be banks moving money once a day. It’s going to be a billion computers processing transactions at the speed of light,” he said. “The money of the future isn’t going to be sitting in a bank account waiting for an approval—it’s going to be moving across a decentralized network at all times.”

He criticized the outdated financial system, saying it isn’t built for the future. “Right now, I have to approve my wire transfers manually. I have to get on the phone and explain why I’m moving my own money,” he said. “That’s a joke in a world where AI is making millions of calculations per second. The system is broken.”

He then pointed to Bitcoin’s unstoppable nature. “There’s no middleman, no gatekeeper, no bureaucratic approval process,” he said. “If the US doesn’t own this space, someone else will.”

Only one nation can take 20%—who will it be?

Saylor made his final argument crystal clear: If the US doesn’t act, another nation will beat them to it. “There is only room for one country to buy 20% of the network,” he said. “And once that happens, it’s over.”

He outlined a simple scenario: “If we take 4 to 6 million Bitcoin, we pay off the entire US national debt. We turn America into a financial superpower in a decade. We own the future of digital assets. And we do it before another country beats us to it.”

For Saylor, the risk isn’t investing in Bitcoin—it’s waiting too long. “This is the greatest financial opportunity of our time,” he said. “Either we secure our place as the world’s digital superpower, or we watch someone else do it.”

As CPAC wrapped up, Saylor left his audience with one final thought. “Bitcoin is the Manifest Destiny of cyberspace,” he said. “And the nation that owns it will own the future.”

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