Strive CEO Advocates for Meta’s Bitcoin Integration
Amidst the backdrop of Bitcoin 2025 in Las Vegas, a pivotal question emerged: when will a major Fortune 500 tech company integrate Bitcoin into its financial strategy? Strive Asset Management’s CEO, Matt Cole, made headlines by attempting to reach Meta Platforms’ CEO, Mark Zuckerberg. Despite not connecting directly, Cole left a compelling voicemail urging Meta to consider converting a portion of its substantial $61 billion cash reserves into Bitcoin.
Matt Cole’s Persuasive Argument for Bitcoin
Addressing a vast audience in Las Vegas, Cole asserted that Meta, a leader in social media and artificial intelligence, is unnecessarily risking shareholder value by holding vast sums in cash and short-term US Treasuries. He emphasized, “The justification for adopting Bitcoin into corporate finances has never been clearer,” while highlighting Bitcoin’s impressive market cap exceeding two trillion dollars.
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“We’re experiencing a global fiat debt crisis. With M2 consistently on the rise, the purchasing power of dollars, especially those in short-term US Treasuries, is diminishing,” Cole explained. He argued that traditional inflation metrics fail to capture the full decline in real returns, noting, “It’s crucial to consider the increase in asset prices, like stocks and real estate. A corporate balance sheet dominated by cash and short-term reserves is, in reality, losing its capacity to deliver shareholder value almost daily.”
Cole linked these economic insights to the rapid advancements in artificial intelligence, cautioning that this technological surge could disrupt the S&P 500 as significantly as the internet did decades ago. “Over the past 30 years, the S&P 500 experienced a 50 percent turnover,” he shared with attendees. “We anticipate a similar shift due to AI disruption within the next decade. While Meta is unlikely to exit the S&P 500, there’s potential for it to become the largest, or second-largest, corporation in the U.S., provided it seizes this opportunity. Embrace AI innovation, but also prioritize balance-sheet strategies.”
Concluding his message, Cole playfully referenced Zuckerberg’s well-known pet goat, named Bitcoin: “You’ve taken the initial step by naming your goat Bitcoin. Now, take the next bold move by adopting a corporate Bitcoin treasury strategy and support proposal number 13.”
Matt Cole further emphasized this sentiment, tweeting on May 28, 2025, “Zuck took the first step by naming his goat Bitcoin. It’s time for Meta to embrace Bitcoin as a corporate asset and enhance long-term shareholder value.”
Is Meta on the Verge of Embracing Bitcoin?
Cole’s public appeal quickly ignited discussions among market analysts and entrepreneurs. Eric Balchunas, a Bloomberg ETF specialist, remarked, “It seems inevitable that a major U.S. company will adopt BTC into its balance sheet. Meta could very well be the trailblazer.”
In a subsequent post, Balchunas argued that if Meta or even Microsoft were to allocate Bitcoin to their balance sheets, it would carry more symbolic significance than previous moves by smaller companies. He likened it to the public reaction when Tom Hanks contracted COVID-19, saying, “If a Meta or Microsoft integrates BTC, the impact would be profound, much like the public’s reaction to Tom Hanks contracting the virus.”
While some reminded Balchunas that Tesla made a similar move four years ago, he acknowledged this but added, “Tesla’s move, though significant, doesn’t quite carry the same weight. It’s hard to explain, but you get the point.”
Critics were quick to challenge the idea. Larry Tabb, head of market-structure research at Bloomberg Intelligence, questioned the rationale, saying, “Why invest in BTC? Corporates don’t pay employees or procure goods with BTC. It doesn’t yield returns. The only viable reason for a corporate to buy BTC would be purely for investment.” Tabb compared this to purchasing an S&P 500 ETF without capturing dividends, suggesting that companies should either establish a formal investment policy or return unused capital to shareholders.
However, Balchunas emphasized that the primary motivation is “shareholder value,” leaving it to the market to determine the trade-off’s worth: “Only time will reveal the outcome.”
Zuckerberg’s Stance on Bitcoin
Beyond the analytical community, leaders within the Bitcoin sphere speculated about Zuckerberg’s personal views on cryptocurrency. Lyle Pratt, CEO of the decentralized communications platform Vida Global, dubbed Meta “the dark horse in the corporate Bitcoin acquisition race,” referencing Zuckerberg’s dual-class voting rights, the halted Libra (later Diem) stablecoin initiative, and his goat named “Bitcoin.”
Pratt humorously suggested that Zuckerberg is motivated by a desire not to be outdone by the Winklevoss twins, Meta’s long-time rivals. David Marcus, former Meta executive and current Lightspark CEO, who previously spearheaded the Libra project, has mentioned that Zuckerberg “appreciates Bitcoin,” lending some anecdotal weight to Balchunas’ and Pratt’s theories.
Strive’s proposal is set for a vote at Meta’s upcoming annual meeting. Cole’s strategy was intended to increase the pressure on Meta’s board to act. Notably, Meta’s board has recommended against the proposal and has remained publicly silent on Cole’s Las Vegas initiative.
As of the latest update, Bitcoin was valued at $107,948.
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