Microsoft Shareholders Reject Proposal to Add Bitcoin to Balance Sheet

Bitcoin/BTC Price as of 2025-09-29

msft-share-price-2025-09-29 Microsoft Shareholders Reject Proposal to Add Bitcoin to Balance Sheet

MSFT Share Price as of 2025-09-29

Every year, I receive a letter from Microsoft because I own a few shares of Microsoft stock (RSUs), which also makes me a shareholder. The letter invites me to attend Microsoft’s annual shareholder meeting and lists several resolutions to be discussed, including recommendations from shareholders, such as Vote or Deny. In the last letter I received, one of the items was about whether to include Bitcoin on the company’s balance sheet. Unfortunately, Microsoft’s shareholders voted against this proposal.

At Microsoft’s annual shareholder meeting on December 10, 2024, shareholders overwhelmingly voted against a proposal to include Bitcoin on the company’s balance sheet.

The proposal was put forward by the conservative think tank, the National Center for Public Policy Research, suggesting that Microsoft invest 1% to 5% of its cash reserves in Bitcoin to hedge against inflation and diversify assets.

Despite Bitcoin’s price surpassing $100,000 in the week leading up to the vote, Microsoft’s board opposed the proposal, citing the cryptocurrency’s high volatility as inconsistent with the company’s liquidity and stability requirements. Microsoft Chief Financial Officer Amy Hood stated during the meeting that while the company continuously evaluates various asset classes—including cryptocurrencies—Bitcoin is currently not suitable for corporate financial management.

Supporters of the proposal included MicroStrategy Chairman Michael Saylor, who released a video before the meeting emphasizing Bitcoin’s potential as “digital gold” and suggested that Microsoft convert cash flow, stock buybacks, and debt into Bitcoin to increase company value.

However, according to Decrypt, only about 28.23 million Microsoft shares supported the proposal—less than 1% of the total votes—while over 5.1 billion shares voted against it. Microsoft noted in filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission that the official results would be published shortly.

According to GeekWire, Although Microsoft rejected the proposal to add Bitcoin to its balance sheet, the company has not completely ruled out potential cryptocurrency investments in the future. The board stated that while it is not currently appropriate to include Bitcoin as a corporate asset, it will continue to monitor cryptocurrency developments to make informed decisions down the line.

This voting outcome reflects the balancing act companies face when considering whether to incorporate Bitcoin into their balance sheets, weighing its high volatility against potential gains. While some companies have already started holding Bitcoin as part of their reserves, Microsoft’s decision indicates that mainstream tech firms remain cautious.

The decision at Microsoft’s shareholder meeting could serve as a reference for other large corporations, especially given the regulatory uncertainties surrounding the cryptocurrency market. As market conditions and regulations evolve, more companies may reassess whether to include Bitcoin in their financial strategies.