Michael Saylor
๐ค SpeakerAppearances Over Time
Podcast Appearances
Why weren't you close to a margin call?
Well, we just weren't. I mean, like most of our debt is convertible debt. It's not margin and call. I mean, you can't call it. It's unsecured, no recourse.
Well, we just weren't. I mean, like most of our debt is convertible debt. It's not margin and call. I mean, you can't call it. It's unsecured, no recourse.
I got it.
I got it.
Like, so we borrow a billion dollars for five years for 0% interest. There's no margin call possible.
Like, so we borrow a billion dollars for five years for 0% interest. There's no margin call possible.
Who gives you a billion dollars for five years at 0%? Is that when money was cheaper?
Who gives you a billion dollars for five years at 0%? Is that when money was cheaper?
Actually, they still do. We borrowed a billion dollars two months ago at 82 basis points. And so the way it works is we're selling convertible bonds. And the convertible bonds have a bond component, and then they have an option component, like a call option. And so the convertible arbitrageurs and the options traders, they like the volatility in the stock.
Actually, they still do. We borrowed a billion dollars two months ago at 82 basis points. And so the way it works is we're selling convertible bonds. And the convertible bonds have a bond component, and then they have an option component, like a call option. And so the convertible arbitrageurs and the options traders, they like the volatility in the stock.
You know, one thing you might not know is we have the most volatile stock in the S&P 500. So if you took all 500 stocks in the S&P 500, you said, which is the most volatile? We're like 100 vol. The S&P, the VIX is like 15. Most of the MAG7 stocks, they would be like 20, 25 vol. Bitcoin is 50. So it's like three to four times the volatility of the S&P index. MicroStrategy, we lever the Bitcoin.
You know, one thing you might not know is we have the most volatile stock in the S&P 500. So if you took all 500 stocks in the S&P 500, you said, which is the most volatile? We're like 100 vol. The S&P, the VIX is like 15. Most of the MAG7 stocks, they would be like 20, 25 vol. Bitcoin is 50. So it's like three to four times the volatility of the S&P index. MicroStrategy, we lever the Bitcoin.
So we get 2X that. So we get to 100. And conventional investors are afraid of volatility. They fear it. They're like, I can't handle the volatility. But volatility is like RPM in an engine. It's like spinning at 100 RPM instead of 10 RPM. So if you plug volatility in the Black-Scholes equation, the options are a lot more valuable if you have volatility.
So we get 2X that. So we get to 100. And conventional investors are afraid of volatility. They fear it. They're like, I can't handle the volatility. But volatility is like RPM in an engine. It's like spinning at 100 RPM instead of 10 RPM. So if you plug volatility in the Black-Scholes equation, the options are a lot more valuable if you have volatility.
So when I'm selling a convertible bond, it's got an option attached to it. So if you're an investor, you want to buy a convertible bond from a company with large volatility, large liquidity, and durability. You want to know the company's going to keep going. But if you think about liquidity, that's like energy. So maybe I spend that little Merry Christmas hat at 50 RPM.
So when I'm selling a convertible bond, it's got an option attached to it. So if you're an investor, you want to buy a convertible bond from a company with large volatility, large liquidity, and durability. You want to know the company's going to keep going. But if you think about liquidity, that's like energy. So maybe I spend that little Merry Christmas hat at 50 RPM.
It's a little kid's toy or a little balsa wood propeller on your kid's toy. But if I take a baseball bat and I spin it at 100 RPM, it's a weapon. But if I take a 20-ton flywheel and I spin it 100 RPM, it's a turbine. Like I can move a ship. And so we have, well, now we have $30 billion worth of capital. And when we're spending it at 100 vol, That's a huge opportunity for options traders.
It's a little kid's toy or a little balsa wood propeller on your kid's toy. But if I take a baseball bat and I spin it at 100 RPM, it's a weapon. But if I take a 20-ton flywheel and I spin it 100 RPM, it's a turbine. Like I can move a ship. And so we have, well, now we have $30 billion worth of capital. And when we're spending it at 100 vol, That's a huge opportunity for options traders.
So there's a massive options market, a massive amount of liquidity, a massive amount of volatility. And so the convertible arbitrage guys, let me say it differently. If you have 100 vol, you can generate 100% interest just by selling the upside. So people, there are funds like MSTY, all they do is just sell the calls. They just sell the volatility and they generate like 180% dividend yield.