Japan-listed firm Metaplanet announced a strategic expansion beyond Bitcoin accumulation, launching two subsidiaries and a $25 million investment plan to build infrastructure around the cryptocurrency. The company will direct funds over two to three years into ventures across lending, payments, custody, derivatives, and compliance within Japan’s Bitcoin ecosystem. Its first move is a planned investment of up to $2.6 million into JPYC Inc., Japan’s first licensed yen stablecoin issuer.
Metaplanet has broadened its Bitcoin strategy by creating Metaplanet Ventures and Metaplanet Asset Management. The Tokyo-listed firm plans to deploy approximately $25 million over the next two to three years to support Japan’s Bitcoin financial infrastructure.
The planned initiatives include venture investments, an incubator for Japanese founders, and grants for open-source developers. CEO Simon Gerovich stated on X that “Japan has built the best regulatory framework in the world for digital assets.” He added that the country now needs matching companies and infrastructure.
The expansion comes as the firm faces financial strain from Bitcoin’s volatility. Metaplanet currently holds 35,102 BTC, worth around $2.4 billion, and reported a full-year loss of $605 million last month. The loss was driven largely by a $664 million decline in the value of its Bitcoin holdings in the final quarter alone.
Its stock fell 3.25% on Thursday, extending a six-month decline of more than 62%. The company has spent nearly $3.8 billion accumulating Bitcoin at an average cost of $107,000 per coin, resulting in an unrealized loss of roughly $1.4 billion.
For its first investment, Metaplanet Ventures signed a letter of intent to invest up to $2.6 million in JPYC Inc. as part of its Series B round. JPYC is Japan’s FSA-registered yen stablecoin issuer backed primarily by Japanese government bonds.
Metaplanet is also launching Metaplanet Asset Management, a Miami-based platform designed to connect Asian and Western capital markets. The firm detailed the platform’s focus on digital asset credit, yield, and derivatives strategies.
