Bitcoin Dip Pushes MSTR Below Cost Basis, but Strategy Faces No Immediate Financial Stress

Bitcoin’s recent dip to around $75,500 briefly pushed the cryptocurrency below Strategy’s (formerly MicroStrategy, ticker: MSTR) average purchase price of roughly $76,037 per bitcoin. While this development may sound alarming at first, it does not fundamentally alter the company’s financial health or long-term bitcoin strategy. Instead, it primarily affects the pace at which Strategy can accumulate additional bitcoin in the near term.

Strategy currently holds approximately 712,647 bitcoin, all of which are unencumbered. This means none of its bitcoin holdings are pledged as collateral, eliminating the risk of forced selling if bitcoin trades below the firm’s cost basis. Even though the company is technically “underwater” on paper, there is no balance sheet stress tied directly to short-term price movements, and no margin calls or liquidation risks are triggered by bitcoin volatility.

Concerns have also surfaced around Strategy’s $8.2 billion in convertible debt. While the figure appears large, the structure of this debt provides significant flexibility. The company can roll over maturities, convert debt into equity when notes come due, or explore alternative capital management tools. Importantly, the first convertible note put date does not arrive until the third quarter of 2027, giving Strategy ample time to navigate market cycles. Other bitcoin-focused treasury firms, such as Strive (ASST), have used instruments like perpetual preferred shares to retire convertible debt, and Strategy could pursue similar options if necessary.

Additionally, Strategy holds about $2.25 billion in cash, primarily reserved for dividend payments, further reinforcing its liquidity position. The more immediate pressure point lies in fundraising. Historically, Strategy has financed bitcoin purchases through at-the-market equity offerings, which work best when MSTR trades at a premium to the net asset value of its bitcoin holdings. With bitcoin’s recent drop, that premium has flipped into a discount, making new equity issuance less attractive and potentially more dilutive.

Ultimately, trading below cost basis is not a crisis for Strategy. It simply slows the company’s ability to grow its bitcoin holdings without impacting shareholders. However, if bitcoin prices remain suppressed or decline further, MSTR shares could face near-term pressure when markets reopen.