Key takeaways:

• Michael Saylor transformed MicroStrategy from a business intelligence firm into the world’s largest corporate Bitcoin holder.

• Saylor’s conviction redefined corporate strategy, turning volatility into opportunity through long-term, dollar-cost averaging purchases.

• His approach set the standard for institutional Bitcoin adoption despite concerns over dilution and debt.

• Saylor’s playbook highlights research, perseverance, risk control and long-term thinking in Bitcoin investing.

Saylor’s Bitcoin awakening

In August 2020, Michael Saylor transformed from a technology executive into a symbol of corporate crypto adoption.

Saylor, long known as the co-founder and head of enterprise-software firm Strategy (previously MicroStrategy), made his first bold move into cryptocurrencies by allocating $250 million of the company’s cash to purchase Bitcoin (BTC). 

He cited a weakening dollar and long-term inflation risks as the underlying reasons behind this strategic move. Incidentally, it marked the largest acquisition of Bitcoin by a publicly traded company at that time and set a new precedent.

Within months, Strategy expanded its holdings: $175 million more in September, $50 million in December and a $650-million convertible-note issuance, bringing Bitcoin holdings over $1 billion. 

He recognized Bitcoin as “capital preservation,” comparing it to “Manhattan in cyberspace,” a scarce, indestructible asset.

The move drew both praise and criticism. Skeptics called it reckless, while supporters saw it as a bold innovation at a time when few dared to put Bitcoin on a company’s balance sheet. For Saylor, though, it wasn’t a gamble. It was a calculated hedge against monetary uncertainty and a signal that digital assets would reshape capital strategy.

Did you know? In 2013, Saylor tweeted that Bitcoin’s days were numbered, predicting it would “go the way of online gambling.” That post resurfaced in 2020, right as he pivoted Strategy into the biggest Bitcoin holder among public companies. He has since referred to it as the “most costly tweet in history.”

Saylor’s Bitcoin expansion

From that initial entry point, Saylor doubled and tripled down on his belief in Bitcoin. He applied structured finance tools to scale holdings and shape Strategy into a “Bitcoin treasury company.”

It all started during the July 2020 earnings calls when Saylor announced his plan to explore alternative assets, such as Bitcoin and gold, instead of holding cash. He put the plan into motion with quarterly Bitcoin buys that rapidly scaled holdings to tens of thousands of coins at a favorable cost basis.

By early 2021, Saylor had borrowed over $2 billion to expand his Bitcoin position, an aggressive posture powered by conviction, not speculation. He articulated a vision of long-term ownership by saying that Strategy will hold its Bitcoin investment for at least 100 years.

Despite Bitcoin’s extreme volatility, soaring to $64,000 from $11,000 in 2021 and then plunging to near $16,000 by the end of 2022, Saylor remained unwavering. In support of the claim that Bitcoin is the apex of monetary structure, his team used dollar-cost averaging to take advantage of price dips to increase holdings.

Saylor’s strategy worked: His company’s stock surged, often outperforming Bitcoin itself. By late 2024, Strategy’s stock had gained multiples of S&P 500 returns, and the business became viewed less as a software firm and more as a leveraged crypto proxy.

Saylor’s Bitcoin financing

Saylor’s obsession evolved from a bold entry to dominating corporate demand for Bitcoin, shifting market dynamics through sheer scale. By early 2025, Strategy held over 2% of Bitcoin’s total fixed supply, roughly half a million BTC.

Year-to-date, Strategy acquired more than 150,000 BTC at average prices near $94,000, putting its holdings’ market value above $50 billion.

These massive allocations exert structural pressure on Bitcoin’s finite supply, and corporations now compete for scarce coins. Saylor set a benchmark that other firms began to follow. In the first five months of 2025 alone, institutional and corporate Bitcoin purchases surpassed $25 billion.

This scale shifted Strategy’s identity: Software revenue was dwarfed by Bitcoin’s impact on valuation. The equity-raising strategy, issuing stock and debt to fund purchases, was scrutinized as a recursion: If Bitcoin fell, debt could strain the company; if stock was diluted too much, investor confidence could wane.

In June 2025, Strategy added 10,100 BTC via a $1.05-billion purchase, having spent nearly $42 billion on Bitcoin overall. The company’s model was now replicable, but not without increasing systemic risk.

Saylor’s transformation from tech CEO to crypto-treasury architect made him a polarizing figure and inspired imitators. His aggressive playbook reframed not just Strategy’s valuation but the broader institutional adoption narrative.

Did you know? Saylor disclosed that prior to converting company assets into Bitcoin, he had used his own funds to buy 17,732 BTC, which at the time was valued at almost $175 million. This gave him enough conviction to push for Strategy’s corporate allocation.

What’s next for Saylor and Bitcoin?

Saylor has shown no signs of slowing down. Strategy continues to double down on Bitcoin, even financing new purchases through convertible debt and other creative instruments. With halving cycles tightening supply and institutional interest accelerating, Saylor positions Bitcoin not just as a store of value but as a corporate treasury standard.

Looking ahead, the main questions are whether more businesses will follow Strategy’s example, how corporate adoption will be influenced by regulatory frameworks and whether Bitcoin’s function will be limited to balance sheets or extend to other areas of the financial system. If Saylor’s theory is correct, he might not only be known as a bold CEO but also as one of the key players who revolutionized business financing in relation to Bitcoin.

What can you learn from Saylor’s Bitcoin obsession?

Saylor’s journey is unique, but there are practical lessons anyone exploring Bitcoin can take from his approach:

• Do your research before committing: Before making an investment, Saylor studied the fundamentals of Bitcoin for months. For novices, this means avoiding hype and beginning with reputable sources, white papers and competent analysis.

• Think long term: Saylor has no intention of making a quick profit. For individuals, this translates into only investing what you can hold through volatility rather than trying to time the market.

• Risk management matters: Strategy took a hazardous but audacious step by borrowing money to purchase Bitcoin. Retail investors ought to exercise greater caution, refrain from taking on excessive debt and maintain cryptocurrency as a portion of a larger portfolio.

• Have conviction, but stay flexible: Throughout the years, Saylor methodically planned his purchases, but he also doubled down on Bitcoin even during downturns. For beginners, dollar-cost averaging may become a useful strategy.

• Separate personal belief from company strategy: Not everyone has a corporation to back Bitcoin bets. Saylor blended personal holdings and Strategy’s treasury. For individuals, it’s better to clearly separate personal savings from speculative investments.

Even if you don’t have Saylor’s fortune, you can still use some of his strategies to better navigate Bitcoin, such as doing your own research and being patient and disciplined.

This article does not contain investment advice or recommendations. Every investment and trading move involves risk, and readers should conduct their own research when making a decision.

Sure, the data above doesn’t scream “crypto’s thriving.”

But zoom out, and you’ll see that we’re actually in quite a sweet spot – the bull market’s still on, institutions no longer take crypto as a joke, and regulators have started making the rules feel less like hieroglyphs.

And for crypto companies, this combo means they gotta rethink how they grow.

Right now, most of ’em are still private. That means they’re stuck with venture capital or token sales to fund their growth.

Both options suck in their own ways – VCs are picky and expensive, while token sales are a gamble that depends on whether the market is feeling good that day.

Public markets, on the other hand, offer something they can’t get anywhere else: steady access to massive amounts of capital, plus the kind of mainstream credibility that venture funding just can’t buy.

That’s why IPOs are kinda having a moment rn.

And the results are wild:

Circle (the issuer of USDC) went public earlier this year. Their stock more than doubled on the first day, making it the biggest crypto IPO since Coinbase.

Bullish (a crypto exchange) IPO’d last month. Shares opened above $90, increased to around $118, then settled at $68 – still 84% higher than the IPO price.

Crazy numbers.

And now, we’ve got two more companies hoppin’ on the IPO train.

“Oh my goshies oh my goshies!1!! Who??” – you maybe.

Ay, chill, you don’t have to guess. I gotchu

1/ Gemini

Gemini, the crypto exchange founded by the Winklevoss twins, plans to list on the Nasdaq under the ticker GEMI.

They wanna sell 16.67M shares at $17 – $19, which could raise up to $317M and value the company at ~$2.22B.

And they’ve got some serious support – Goldman Sachs, Citigroup, Morgan Stanley, and Cantor are all lead bookrunners.

Translation: these are the banks in charge of organizing the IPO and finding investors to buy the shares – so, Gemini’s kicking things off with Wall Street’s A-team.

2/ Figure Technology Solutions

The blockchain-focused lender Figure Technology Solutions is getting in on the action as well.

Just like Gemini, it’s heading to Nasdaq – under the ticker FIGR.

The plan is to sell 21.5M shares at $18 – $20, which could raise about $526M and value the company near $4.3B.

The IPO’s being handled by Goldman Sachs, Bank of America, and Jefferies.

Now, what’s in it for you, the everyday crypto investor, from all this? A few things

1⃣ More legitimacy

A listing on Nasdaq is basically TradFi giving crypto companies a

That builds trust with institutions, which eventually means more money going into the crypto ecosystem – including the coins in your wallet.

2⃣ New ways for normies to get crypto exposure

Not everyone wants to deal with private keys, hardware wallets, or gas fees. IPOs let regular stock investors buy into the industry without touching actual crypto.

More money coming in from different angles is good for everyone.

Basically, IPOs don’t pump your coins directly, but they make crypto look way more professional to the outside world.

And in the long run, that respectability should help your portfolio

Widely followed crypto analyst and trader Inmortal says that one Dogecoin (DOGE) rival is in the early stages of a lengthy rally.

The pseudonymous analyst tells his 232,000 followers on the social media platform X that Dogecoin competitor Floki (FLOKI) is just beginning its ascent.

“+40%, no dips.

We are just getting started.”

Earlier this month, Inmortal predicted that “god candles” would be coming for FLOKI.

At time of writing, FLOKI is trading at $0.000079 and is down 77% from its all-time high.

Inmortal also has his eye on Solana (SOL). According to the trader, next month will decide whether the top Ethereum (ETH) rival can pull off a bullish reversal. The trader believes that Solana may either print a bullish higher low setup or continue its downtrend next month.

“You can’t imagine how important May is.

In the next 30 days, we will have a pretty clear answer:

Bear market bounce or bull market dip.”

The trader recently told his followers that Solana is already outperforming ETH in the latest market bounce this month.

“SOL outperforming ETH in this bounce. Obvious clues as to which out-performer will be when the bull run resumes.”

At time of writing, SOL is trading at $149.82 while Ethereum is worth $1,799.

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Leading cryptocurrency Bitcoin ($BTC), which typically sets an erratic pace for the rest of the market to follow, is down 2.4% in the last 24 hours to trade at $83,818. This is still almost 50% off its projected $160,000 price target for 2025.

Stellar posted sharper intraday losses of 3.8% to trade at $0.27. Analysist Nikola Lazic sees in the wave formation, a potentially imminent breakout up to $0.365, where it will face strong resistance.

However, in the mid-to-long term, Stellar $XLM’s price could hit a dollar on the next bull run.

Stellar’s $XLM: Primer and Price Analysis

Launched in 2014, $XLM is one of the oldest cryptocurrencies, built to enable fast, low-cost cross-border payments—similar to Ripple’s $XRP and Bitcoin Cash.

Unlike Bitcoin, Stellar doesn’t use Proof-of-Work. Instead, it relies on the Stellar Consensus Protocol (SCP), which verifies transactions through a network of community-elected, trusted nodes.

Over the past three months, $XLM’s support and resistance levels have declined, mirroring the broader market’s reaction to Bitcoin’s downturn and the new pro-crypto US administration’s controversial trade tariffs.

XLM’s price remains tied to macroeconomic and regulatory developments, with the promise of U.S. crypto regulations likely to spark a global adoption wave.

In the near term, XLM could be due for a bounce. Its relative strength index is 37 and falling, suggesting it may soon be oversold—potentially making now an ideal entry point ahead of the next recovery phase.

But beyond that? The future is uncertain and chart analysis alone can’t predict it accurately. Many are now waiting for the Trump administration to pull its finger out and create some serious guidance for multinational crypto businesses that do business in the US.

This makes now the best time to buy if you believe the industry will be on firmer regulatory footing soon.

Traders sell $XLM to take up positions in BTC Bull, A Meme Coin That Pays Rewards in Bitcoin

While traders do a spot of recent profit-taking from $XLM, it would appear they’re piling into a unique and enchanting new presale for BTC Bull ($BTCBULL).

BTC Bull shakes up the meme coin sector by rewarding holders with Bitcoin, offering a unique blend of entertainment and financial utility.

Each time Bitcoin crosses specific price thresholds, BTC Bull investors receive direct BTC payouts—introducing an innovative way to generate passive income.

Investor enthusiasm has been overwhelming, with the project securing $100,000 within minutes of launch and amassing $3.9 million in funding within its first month.

The presale kicks off at $0.00242, with incremental price increases across funding rounds.

Combined with staking rewards up to 109% APY, BTC Bull presents an attractive portfolio diversifier alongside Stellar’s $XLM for investors seeking substantial potential returns.

Stay updated with BTC Bull on X and Telegram.

The post Stellar’s Breakout Just Getting Started? Analysts Say $1 Is Next appeared first on Cryptonews.

Web3 gaming is changing the gaming world, bringing together traditional experiences with blockchain technology. For many, though, figuring out how to get started can feel overwhelming. In fact, a recent survey found that 32% of traditional gamers haven’t tried Web3 games simply because they “have no idea where to start,” and 11% were put off by the complexities of cryptocurrency setups and wallets.

Despite these challenges, the Web3 gaming industry is growing fast. Nansen’s Web3 Gaming report said the market will grow 68% CAGR from 2024 to 2030. With innovations now making the experience smoother, it’s a great time to get in. This guide will take you through everything you need to know to get started with Web3 gaming, from wallets and tools to games and safety.

What is Web3 Gaming?

Web3 gaming is a new kind of gaming powered by blockchain technology. It lets players truly own in-game items, like NFTs or tokens, that can be traded or sold outside the game. Many Web3 games also offer play-to-earn features, where players can earn real rewards while enjoying great gameplay. It’s about more freedom, ownership, and value for your time spent gaming.

Traditional Onboarding: Setting Up a Crypto Wallet

If you’re new to Web3 gaming, the first thing you’ll need is a cryptocurrency wallet. This digital tool stores your in-game assets like NFTs and tokens.

Quick Steps to Set Up a Crypto Wallet

1. Choose a Wallet: Pick a trusted wallet like MetaMask that works with the game you want to play.

2. Create a Wallet: Setting it up is simple. Follow the app’s instructions, save your recovery phrase (a set of secret words you’ll need if you ever lose access), and create a strong password.

3. Fund Your Wallet: Purchase cryptocurrency through an exchange like Binance or Coinbase and transfer it to your wallet. The crypto you need to purchase depends on the blockchain or platform the game is on. Many Web3 platforms also have their own tokens.

4. Connect to Games: This part is usually easy. When you visit the game’s website or marketplace, look for a “Connect Wallet” button. Click it, pick your wallet provider, and approve the connection through a pop-up in the wallet app.

If that sounds tricky, don’t worry—Web3 platforms are finding ways to make the process easier for everyone.

Innovations Simplifying Onboarding

If setting up a crypto wallet still seems like a hurdle, platforms like Nakamoto Games and Immutable have you covered.

Immutable Passport

With over 3 million signups as of October 2024, Immutable Passport is becoming a popular choice among gamers. It consolidates your digital identity across multiple games, so you don’t need a separate wallet for each game. Plus, it supports third-party marketplaces so you can trade and sell your in-game assets—what makes NFT gaming so cool.

How to Create an Immutable Passport Account

Immutable Passport skips traditional wallet setups, making Web3 gaming feel as familiar as Web2. Here’s how it works:

1. Sign Up: Visit the Immutable website and use Google or Apple for a quick and easy login.

2. Link Your Wallets: Connect existing wallets like MetaMask to manage your assets if needed.

3. Explore Games: Discover supported games and marketplaces that recognize your Passport.

4. Manage Assets: View and transfer NFTs or cryptocurrency easily within the Passport dashboard.

The $NAKA Multicoin Wallet

Another solution is the $NAKA Multicoin Wallet from Nakamoto Games. It simplifies the setup process and is designed for gamers, offering:

• Cross-Platform Support: Works on macOS, iOS, Windows, and Android via Telegram.

• Ease of Use: Makes transactions and asset management easy for both beginners and pros.

• Quick Onboarding: Removes much of the confusion new users face.

Gaming on Telegram

Telegram games are attracting a massive amount of players, with average session times increasing from 2.8 minutes to 6.7 minutes. This longer playtime and higher retention show that Telegram is delivering a gaming experience players keep coming back to.

Telegram is making waves as a Web3 gaming hub, offering an easy way to jump into blockchain games and also earn rewards and airdrops. Here’s how to get started:

1. Download Telegram: Install the app on your device and create an account.

2. Find Games: Search for Web3 games like Catizen or GAMEE in the Telegram app.

3. Set Up a Wallet: Many Telegram-based games let you create a wallet directly in-app. Follow their setup instructions.

4. Start Playing: Jump into the game, explore, and engage with its features.

Highlighting Web3 Gaming’s Best

One of the standout titles in Web3 gaming is Off the Grid, developed by Gunzilla Games and named Gam3 Game of the Year 2024. This cyberpunk-themed battle royale blends intense combat with a narrative-rich experience. Directed by Neill Blomkamp (District 9), it’s available in early access on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S.

Another game worth checking out is My Neighbor Alice, a blockchain-based world where anyone can join in to build and create in the Lummelunda Archipelago. You’ll need a Web3 wallet for this one—once you’re in, you can buy or claim land, download the launcher, and start exploring, farming, and building in this vibrant world.

Exploring Free-to-Play Modes

Not ready to buy NFTs or cryptocurrency? No worries. Many Web3 games have free-to-play modes, so you can get into the core gameplay without spending a cent. For example, you can play the hugely popular Gods Unchained for free, but you’ll need to download the game first and connect an Immutable Passport.

Free-to-play modes let you explore the game world, complete quests, and interact with other players without owning in-game assets. For beginners, it’s a great way to try before you buy into the full Web3 experience. Emerging technologies like social logins and decentralized identifiers are also making wallet-free gaming more accessible.

Staying Safe in Web3 Gaming

Web3 gaming is exciting, but be safe. Follow official channels for your favourite games and developers. This will keep you updated on updates, new features and potential security threats.

Also, be wary of scams and phishing attempts, especially when dealing with NFTs and cryptocurrency. Always verify the platform and only use trusted marketplaces or wallets. Protect your private keys and recovery phrases – they’re the keys to all your assets.

Being informed and cautious will help you with Web3 gaming without the headaches.

Conclusion

Web3 gaming for beginners is simpler than it might seem. With new onboarding tools and accessible platforms like Telegram, and now TikTok, it’s getting easier to jump into this evolving space. Many games even offer free-to-play options, so you can explore without making an upfront investment.

What makes Web3 gaming special is you can earn rewards or even money as you play. But it’s not just about the money – many of these games are actually fun and worth playing for the gameplay and worlds themselves. Whether you want to try something new or jump into a growing community, Web3 gaming has you covered.

Editor’s note: Written with the assistance of AI – Edited and fact-checked by Jason Newey.

Throughout the years since its onset, online gambling has been building up into a major digital industry. For the most part, this is due to the agents involved in the business, as well as their constant tendency for improvement, advancement and innovation. This brought about many changes to online casino platforms which ultimately served players towards getting the most entertaining online gaming action.

Namely, players were able to access more stable and secure online casino floor platforms, play a much wider variety of games and pay for this or get a cashout in a much timelier manner. Regarding the final point, a new payment method has recently surfaced and taken on online casino payments in a storm –the cryptocurrency Bitcoin.

What is Bitcoin?

Around 2009, the cryptocurrency Bitcoin and its entire operating platform – the blockchain, were invented and publicly released by a Satoshi Nakamoto. This is the name used by the person or group of people responsible for its creation, and despite the large amount of Bitcoins in their ownership today, no appearance has been noted.

The cryptocurrency itself is a digital form of payment for an item or a service, performed on its own decentralized, peer-to-peer network. It is not regulated by any government or financial establishment, hence its volatile value on the one hand, and its secure and prompt payment processing capabilities, on the other.

The blockchain takes the role of a ledger, with the distinction that it is not an actual book of financial records. Yet, it still manages to record each transaction that is being performed among two or more Bitcoin accounts, update its records in real time and make all this data available to anyone in the ledger. That way, everyone knows the sender and receiver of every transaction, as well as the amount of Bitcoins involved, all to the purpose of disabling anyone from using a single bitcoin for multiple transactions.

While it might seem to disclose everything, the blockchain basically keeps things transparent but doesn’t provide anyone with any access to someone else’s possessions, be it account or personal information. In fact, all that is visible aside from the amount transferred is the string of letters and numbers used to identify Bitcoin holders’ accounts, i.e. their cryptocurrency e-wallet.

Acquiring & Storing Bitcoin

E-wallets are an online service that allows players to store their finances on a virtual location, and Bitcoin wallets are specifically designed for this purpose. These e-wallets can be found in three different formats: online cryptocurrency wallet, offline or hardware e-wallet.

The online wallet is actually a cloud-based online service that allows you to place your bitcoins on an outside server, making them responsible for any issues. However, considering that the main goal of every Bitcoin holder is to avoid such issues, there is a second option – an offline wallet. This is in fact a program installed in your computer that allows you to keep your Bitcoin treasure on your own computer hard drive.

Ultimately, you can choose to purchase a portable, hardware Bitcoin e-wallet such as Trezor or Ledger Nano S and store them on this device. Each hardware solution bears its own set of potential issues, such as theft, electricity failure or even losing it, but considering the cryptocurrency’s value, owners tend to be extra careful.

As for acquiring Bitcoins you can put in your chosen e-wallet, this is best done through a cryptocurrency exchange platform. While the process is the same if you decide to exchange your fiat currency with someone’s bitcoins as a private transaction, there are numerous perks to using such a service.

Most cryptocurrency exchange platforms perform thousands of transactions per day, for a number of users, exchanging a handful of different currencies. They provide the ‘safety net’ protection in case one of the people involved in the transaction doesn’t hold to their side of the bargain. Moreover, most of these services offer a free e-wallet for the Bitcoins you are about to purchase – or sell – as well as numerous other perks to keep customers interested.

Gambling with Bitcoin

Once you have learnt the basis of Bitcoin financial transactions, and the proper ways to get this cryptocurrency and keep it in your possession, it is time to make some use of it. Nowadays, this currency is used to pay for all kinds of merchandise and services through e-commerce platforms. One such occasion is online gambling websites, which only recently discovered the perks of Bitcoin transactions and are quick to use them to everyone’s advantage.

Bitcoin allows online casino and poker room players, as well as sports bettors or any other gambling enthusiast to enjoy their favourite pastime free of fees, payment delays and legal restrictions. This is due to the anonymity and decentralized nature of the blockchain operations, as well as the fact that it operates on a P2P basis. Basically, in order for a transaction to get processed, numerous other Bitcoin owners help make this happenwithout any central authority, simply operating on good faith and a certain gain.

Online casinos soon implemented the necessary add-ons for the payment method. All players had to do to use it instead of the existing ones is to access the ‘Cashier’, ‘Payments’ or ‘Bank’ section in the established Bitcoin online casino and choose it as a deposit and withdrawal method. After that, players put the amount for the transaction and their e-wallet sequence of numbers and letters and are free to gamble away without sharing any more personal information with cyberspace. There have also been a few pure Bitcoin casinos launched recently where you can only gamble with Bitcoin as a currency. These casinos are typically completely anonymous.

Increase in transactions definitely gave Bitcoin a boost on its value, but there is much more to be done. Best you can do is get yours and enjoy the care-free online gaming experience as much as possible.