Strategy Pauses Bitcoin Purchases as BTC Demand Hits Five-Month Low

Strategy has paused its Bitcoin purchases this week as the company moved to repurchase convertible debt, while Bitcoin demand metrics weakened to their lowest level in five months.

Strategy Executive Chairman Michael Saylor confirmed the pause in a post on X, saying the company bought bonds instead of Bitcoin this week. He described the move as part of the firm’s broader capital management plan, as investors monitored both Bitcoin’s price weakness and the recent decline in MSTR stock.

The pause comes as Strategy plans to repurchase nearly $1.5 billion in face value of its 0% convertible senior notes due 2029 for about $1.38 billion in cash. Company filings said the repurchase may be funded through existing cash, proceeds from at-the-market stock sales, and possible Bitcoin sales.

Strategy’s decision to buy bonds instead of Bitcoin has drawn attention because the company has been one of the largest corporate buyers of BTC. Its treasury strategy has centered on raising capital through equity, preferred shares and debt to increase Bitcoin per share over time.

The company, as we reported recently, disclosed that it bought 24,869 BTC for about $2.01 billion using proceeds from STRC perpetual preferred shares and MSTR stock sales. Even after this week’s pause, Strategy remains the largest known corporate Bitcoin holder.

Strategy currently holds 843,738 BTC, valued at about $65.25 billion based on current market prices cited in the source material. The company acquired those holdings for roughly $63.88 billion, leaving it with about $1.5 billion in unrealized gains.

Saylor has said the latest bond repurchase does not mark a retreat from the company’s Bitcoin strategy. He has described Strategy’s model as a data-driven capital allocation system that uses cash, equity, credit instruments and Bitcoin to manage long-term shareholder value.

As we reported, Saylor recently said it was “not unlikely” that Strategy could sell some Bitcoin before the end of 2026. He commented during an interview with Natalie Brunell while discussing how the company may manage its balance sheet.

According to Saylor, Strategy’s goal remains maximizing Bitcoin per share by 2033. He said the firm may use a flexible mix of equity sales, credit instruments, dollar reserves and limited Bitcoin sales if market conditions require it.

He also said any Bitcoin sale would likely be small compared with Bitcoin’s daily liquidity, which he estimated at $20 billion to $50 billion. Saylor argued that the company could still acquire far more Bitcoin than it sells if it uses proceeds and financing tools effectively.

The company’s preferred stock products, including STRF, STRD and STRK, are expected to remain part of its capital structure. Saylor said convertible bonds are liabilities Strategy intends to reduce over time, while preferred shares remain useful financing tools.

The Strategy pause comes as Bitcoin’s apparent demand has fallen to its most negative reading since the beginning of the year. The metric has moved near minus 147,000 BTC, a level last seen in December 2025.

Apparent demand compares new Bitcoin issuance with the amount of supply that has remained inactive for more than one year. It is used to estimate whether structural accumulation is strong enough to absorb newly mined BTC.

Source: X

The latest reading suggests that demand has continued to contract. Analysts say weak spot demand makes it harder for Bitcoin to sustain a lasting rally if price action is driven mostly by futures markets.

Futures trading can support short-term moves, but broader spot buying is usually needed to build a steadier foundation for upward price action. The current demand weakness has added to caution across the market.

Saylor has continued to argue that Bitcoin will outperform the S&P 500 over time. He has said Bitcoin may deliver long-term growth strong enough to support Strategy’s digital credit products, including preferred stock with an 11.5% tax-deferred dividend structure.