bravenewcoin.com
In the early 2010s, he praised Bitcoin’s potential to make money transfers cheaper, particularly in developing regions. By 2018, however, he criticized its volatility and association with criminal activity, saying he would “short” Bitcoin if he could. In 2021, Gates grew increasingly concerned about Bitcoin’s environmental impact, noting its high energy consumption per transaction and aligning himself with digital currency solutions that are more eco-friendly. Today, Gates remains skeptical, seeing blockchain’s potential in applications that deliver social value but viewing Bitcoin as speculative, energy-intensive, and limited in real-world utility.
Even if shareholders were to vote ‘yes’ as a majority to the proposal, this outcome would be non-binding. US public companies allow shareholders to vote on important decisions at shareholder meetings. Special proposals like this one are typically non-binding and are more used to gauge shareholder sentiment and can be used to pressure companies to move in a particular direction.
Even if the Microsoft shareholder community votes in favor of adding BTC to the company’s armory of assets, there is no guarantee or obligation that this should happen. It would, however, be a powerful indicator of positive, on-the-ground sentiment amongst investors at one of the largest IT companies in the world.