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Meta Platforms Inc. shareholders have decisively voted down a proposal that would have added Bitcoin to the company’s balance sheet. The highly debated initiative was put forward during Meta’s annual shareholder meeting on May 30, 2025, but received less than 0.1% of support, marking a significant setback for crypto advocates pushing for mainstream adoption.
The vote tally showed over 4.98 billion shares opposed the move, while only around 3.92 million were in favor. About 8.86 million shares abstained, and more than 204 million shares were withheld from the vote, further demonstrating investor reluctance to shift Meta’s financial strategy toward digital assets.
The rejected measure, known as Proposal 13, aimed to have Meta convert a portion of its $72 billion cash reserves into Bitcoin. Ethan Peck from the National Center for Public Policy Research introduced the idea, arguing that Bitcoin could act as a hedge against inflation and protect against the declining returns from traditional bonds.
Despite the passionate appeal, shareholders were unconvinced.
Bitcoin Advocates Push for Corporate Adoption
The proposal came after a vocal campaign by Strive Asset Management CEO Matt Cole, who took the stage at the Bitcoin 2025 conference in Las Vegas to directly appeal to Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg.
“You’ve already done step one—you named your goat Bitcoin,” said Cole in a now-viral speech. “My ask is that you take step two and adopt a bold corporate Bitcoin treasury strategy.”
Cole’s argument centered on the claim that cash is steadily losing value due to what he referred to as a global fiat debt crisis. He urged Meta to lead the corporate sector in embracing Bitcoin, positioning the asset as not just speculative, but essential for long-term preservation of capital.
However, the pitch didn’t gain traction with Meta’s institutional investors. The overwhelming rejection indicates that while Bitcoin may be gaining attention, it still hasn’t convinced corporate boardrooms at the highest levels.
Tech Giants Maintain a Conservative Stance
Meta’s decision places it in line with other large tech companies that have rejected similar ideas. In December 2024, Microsoft shareholders also dismissed a proposal to add Bitcoin to its reserves. Amazon, too, has avoided such moves, keeping to more traditional treasury strategies.
Bitcoin enthusiasts like Michael Saylor of MicroStrategy continue to promote Bitcoin adoption among corporations, but major firms remain cautious. Concerns about regulatory risks, price volatility, and accounting complexity continue to dominate the conversation behind closed doors.
Bloomberg ETF analyst Eric Balchunas summarized the situation with a memorable metaphor on X (formerly Twitter): “If Meta or Microsoft adds BTC to the balance sheet, it will be like when Tom Hanks got COVID—suddenly, it feels real.”
Until that pivotal moment arrives, most blue-chip companies appear content to observe from the sidelines.
Calls for Broader Adoption Persist
The Bitcoin 2025 conference also featured political voices calling for deeper integration of Bitcoin into national financial systems. Nigel Farage, leader of Reform UK, stated his party would back a proposal for the Bank of England to add Bitcoin to its reserves, a bold move aimed at modernizing the nation’s financial tools.
Michael Saylor applauded such statements and urged both public and private institutions to embrace Bitcoin as a core reserve asset. His comments, echoed by several industry insiders, reflect a growing divide between crypto advocates and corporate decision-makers.
Despite these efforts, shareholder sentiment remains firmly conservative. The Meta vote suggests that most institutional investors are still wary of using Bitcoin as a primary financial tool.
What’s Next for Bitcoin in Corporate Finance?
The failure of Proposal 13 reinforces the challenges Bitcoin faces in achieving widespread acceptance among large publicly traded companies. While retail investors and crypto-native firms have moved quickly into the digital asset space, companies like Meta, Amazon, and Microsoft are taking a more measured approach.
Analysts believe this hesitance could shift if a major player eventually takes the first step. A successful integration by a high-profile company might change perception across the industry. Until then, smaller firms and crypto-focused businesses are likely to remain the testing grounds for digital asset adoption at the treasury level.
In the meantime, the message from Meta shareholders is clear: they’re not ready to take that leap.
