Bitcoin’s Wild Ride: Schiff’s Backhanded Praise and Saylor’s Bold Gamble

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In the dusty plains of the financial frontier, two figures stand locked in a dance as old as the hills themselves. Michael Saylor, the steadfast prospector, has staked his claim on the glittering promise of Bitcoin, hoarding it like a man burying gold in his backyard. And then there’s Peter Schiff, the perennial naysayer, whose warnings echo like a stubborn mule braying in the distance, “This here’s fool’s gold, mark my words.”

But this week, something peculiar happened. Saylor’s outfit, Strategy, threw another chunk of their fortune into the Bitcoin pot, snatching up 2,486 more coins. That brings their stash to a whopping 717,131 BTC, a hoard valued at over $54.5 billion. They’re sitting on 3.4% of all the Bitcoin that’ll ever be dug up. That’s like owning a slice of the moon and charging folks to look at it.

The latest spree cost them $168.4 million, with each coin going for $67,710. And what did Schiff have to say? Well, he tipped his hat, albeit grudgingly, muttering, “Congratulations, you finally averaged your price down.” It’s the kind of praise that tastes like sour milk, but praise nonetheless.

Schiff’s Praise: A Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing

Schiff, ever the skeptic, couldn’t resist turning his compliment into a cautionary tale. “Averaging down,” he grumbled, is like throwing good money after bad, hoping the hole stops digging itself. If Bitcoin keeps tumbling, he warns, Saylor’s strategy might just leave him buried under a mountain of losses.

“Congratulations, you finally averaged your price down.”

MSTR and BTC: A Tale of Two Strugglers

Meanwhile, the market’s been acting like a temperamental mule. Strategy’s stock, MSTR, has been taking a beating, trading around $128.67, down nearly 4% in the short haul and a staggering 20% over the past month. Bitcoin itself ain’t faring much better, hovering near $67,661, down 26% in the last 30 days. It’s like the whole shebang’s caught a case of the sulks.

Open Interest, once sky-high with traders betting the farm on borrowed money, is now dropping faster than a cowboy off a bucking bronco. It’s a sign the risk-takers are heading for the hills, leaving the serious investors to pick up the pieces. The market’s cooling off, like a campfire after the coffee’s been drunk and the stories told.

MSTR’s Open Interest: A Game of Chicken

Over in the options market, MSTR’s traders are eyeing $100 like it’s the last waterhole in the desert. But the range between $130 and $150? That’s no man’s land, thick with sellers. And then there are the high-rollers, placing bets at $200 and $300, hoping for a Bitcoin-led rally that’ll make them richer than a Texas oil baron. Hope springs eternal, even in the driest of markets.

As of now, MSTR’s bouncing between $110 and $140, like a wagon stuck in the mud. Break above $150, and it’s clear sailing. Dip near $100, and the buyers might just come running. Strategy’s caught between a rock and a hard place, balancing long-term faith against the specter of financial ruin.

Whether this gamble pays off depends on Bitcoin’s next move. Will it rise like a phoenix, or will it keep sinking like a stone in a creek?

Other Firms: Dancing on the Edge

Across the ocean, Metaplanet’s feeling the heat. Their Q4 2025 earnings report showed a net loss of $619 million, a number so big it’d make a banker blush. As 2026 marches on, these firms won’t be judged by their short-term profits, but by how they weather the storms-those 20-30% price drops that separate the wheat from the chaff.

Their strategy? Buy on the dips, ignore the noise, and pray for the next cycle to turn their losses into gains. It’s a game of patience, and only time will tell who’s playing it right.

Final Summary

  • Peter Schiff tipped his hat to Saylor’s move but still thinks “averaging down” is a one-way ticket to Heartbreak Hotel.
  • Falling Open Interest suggests the cowboys are riding out of town, leaving the market to the steady hands.

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2026-02-18 15:34