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Michael Saylor is in the headlines yet again after pitching Bitcoin (BTC) as a transformative financial asset to Middle Eastern sovereign wealth funds and institutions during his tour of the region.
Saylor generated a buzz with his comments during his keynote at the Bitcoin MENA conference in Abu Dhabi on December 8, 2025.
Saylor’s tour across the Middle East puts the Bitcoin proponent in direct contact with large investors from wealthy petrodollar countries. Strategy’s stock is far from its historical highs as BTC slowly fights back from a collapse in BTC price to the $80,000 range.
What did Saylor say at Bitcoin MENA?
According to him, BTC is not just a simple investment, but should be regarded as the foundation for a new era of “digital capital” and yield-generating financial products.
During his keynote in Abu Dhabi, he talked about Strategy and its accumulation strategy. He described the market as a “$200 trillion opportunity,” referring to the potential scale of global credit markets that could be unlocked via Bitcoin-backed banking, custody, and lending.
He likened BTC to “digital gold,” acknowledging its current valuation level and highlighting bullish projections expected in 4 to 8 years, implying that if the Middle East moved now, it could become a global hub for BTC innovation. And that’s how the region could attract “trillions” in foreign capital seeking yield.
The wealth funds in these areas collectively manage trillions in assets, much of which comes from oil revenues, and are traditionally invested in assets like U.S. Treasuries, real estate, and equities. However, Saylor wants them to pivot toward BTC to future-proof their economies amid the declining petrodollar system.
“All the money will come to you,” he said.
Critical MSCI decision looms for Strategy
The firm is now navigating the most complex period in its storied history as a corporate Bitcoin treasury. In the past, the Tysons Corner-based firm operated with a distinct advantage that allowed its equity to trade at a significant premium to the net asset value (NAV) of its Bitcoin holdings.
This premium was the engine of the company’s capital strategy and helped management raise billions in equity and convertible debt to acquire Bitcoin, effectively engaging in regulatory arbitrage that benefited mainly from the lack of spot Bitcoin ETFs in the US market.
While naysayers like Peter Schiff delight have rolled out the drums as Strategy fell on hard times recently, Saylor made a big statement with the firm’s latest BTC purchase of almost $1 billion on Monday, as Cryptopolitan reported.
While the vanishing premium has stalled the company’s growth engine, the looming decision by MSCI Inc. has become a more immediate structural threat. The index provider is currently conducting a consultation on the classification of digital asset treasury (DAT) companies. A decision is expected on January 15, 2026, after the review period ending December 31.
Should Strategy be reclassified as a DAT, it could be pushed out of flagship equity benchmarks, potentially triggering forced selling of between $2.8 billion and $8.8 billion by passive funds.
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