Bitcoin News Today: Bitcoin's Rise in Japan Gets a New Champion—Metaplanet's Bold Play

Japan’s Bitcoin treasury firm Metaplanet has become a focal point in the country’s expanding engagement with cryptocurrency, particularly with its recent inclusion in the FTSE Japan Index. This upgrade, part of FTSE Russell’s September 2025 Semi-Annual Review, elevated the company from a small-cap to a mid-cap stock, granting it entry into the flagship FTSE Japan Index and, by extension, the FTSE All-World Index [1]. The move is significant as it redirects capital flows into Bitcoin from traditional financial markets and provides passive stock investors indirect exposure to the world’s largest cryptocurrency. Metaplanet’s inclusion in major global indices reflects a broader trend of institutional interest in digital assets and signals a growing acceptance of Bitcoin as a legitimate reserve asset in corporate portfolios.

The company’s recent financial performance has underscored its aggressive Bitcoin accumulation strategy. Metaplanet has increased its Bitcoin holdings to approximately 18,991 BTC, valued at over $2.14 billion at current exchange rates [2]. This accumulation has been facilitated by a strategy involving capital market activities, including the issuance of new shares and partial redemption of bonds. For instance, the company redeemed $20.4 million in 19th Series Ordinary Bonds to optimize its balance sheet while continuing to allocate substantial capital into Bitcoin [2]. The firm’s performance outpaced Japan’s blue-chip stocks, such as the TOPIX Core 30, with year-to-date gains of 187% compared to the index’s 7.2% [1]. Metaplanet’s approach, often likened to MicroStrategy’s U.S.-based model, has positioned it as a key player in the corporate Bitcoin space.

The strategic rationale for Metaplanet’s Bitcoin holdings lies in its belief that the cryptocurrency offers superior long-term value preservation compared to traditional fiat reserves. The company measures shareholder value using unique performance metrics such as “BTC Yield” and “BTC Gain,” which focus on Bitcoin terms rather than conventional profit and loss [2]. In the current quarter, Metaplanet reported a 29.1% BTC Yield, demonstrating how its holdings per share continue to rise despite equity dilution from recent share issuances. This strategy reflects a broader shift in Japan’s financial landscape toward digital asset adoption, especially as regulatory clarity and growing institutional interest converge to support the sector’s development.

Metaplanet’s CEO, Simon Gerovich, has outlined ambitious goals for the company’s Bitcoin treasury, including a target of accumulating 210,000 BTC by 2027—equivalent to 1% of Bitcoin’s total supply [1]. The company has also hinted at using a portion of its Bitcoin stash to acquire income-generating businesses, potentially including a digital bank or a related financial services entity [1]. This expansion strategy aligns with Japan’s increasing role in the global cryptocurrency ecosystem, where regulatory frameworks are evolving to accommodate new financial instruments and innovations.

The inclusion of Metaplanet in the FTSE Japan Index has had a tangible impact on its stock performance. The company’s shares rose nearly 3.5% in Japan on the day of the announcement, although the stock has experienced a 26.9% decline over the past month [3]. Despite this short-term volatility, the stock has appreciated by 147.9% year-to-date, reflecting investor confidence in the company’s long-term strategy. Metaplanet now ranks as the seventh-largest publicly traded holder of Bitcoin, with its treasury surpassing that of companies like Coinbase and Tesla [1]. This position reinforces its reputation as a leading player in the corporate Bitcoin space and highlights the potential for further growth as the market continues to mature.

Source:

[1] title1 (https://cointelegraph.com/news/metaplanet-added-ftse-japan-all-world-stock-indices)

[2] title2 (https://finance.yahoo.com/news/metaplanet-pushes-bitcoin-holdings-higher-051520918.html)

[3] title3 (https://www.theblock.co/post/368062/metaplanet-buys-103-btc)