Key Takeaways
Bitcoin (BTC) broke past the $81,000 threshold during Tuesday's Asian trading session, part of a wider risk-on sentiment that also saw US equity indices reach new highs. The leading cryptocurrency reached a high of $81,500, according to CoinGecko data, representing a 6.7% weekly appreciation as of 06:40 UTC.
"We will probably sell some bitcoin to pay a dividend just to inoculate the market and send the message that we did it,” Michael Saylor, Executive Chairman at Strategy, said on the company’s Q1 2026 earnings conference call.
The crypto rally was supported by strong performance in traditional equity markets. The S&P 500 advanced 0.8% and the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite gained 1% to reach record peaks, fueled by impressive earnings from technology firms. Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) and Super Micro Computer (SMCI) saw significant after-hours jumps. Strategy shares, however, fell more than 4% in extended trading following Saylor's announcement, with Bitcoin briefly dipping below $81,000 before recovering.
The potential sale would be the first time Strategy has liquidated Bitcoin since beginning its accumulation strategy. The firm holds 818,334 BTC at an average cost of $75,537 and requires approximately $1.5 billion for annual dividend commitments. The announcement introduces a new dynamic to the market, testing its ability to absorb supply from a major corporate holder. In contrast to Bitcoin's strength, Ethereum (ETH) underperformed, declining 0.3% over 24 hours to $2,376, coinciding with a reversal to negative flows for spot ETH ETFs.
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice.
