Japanese listed firm Metaplanet announced a dual expansion on March 12: a corporate venture capital division named Metaplanet Ventures, and a U.S. asset management subsidiary in Miami. The VC arm will deploy roughly ¥4 billion (~$25 million) into Japanese startups building foundational Bitcoin financial infrastructure, while the asset management unit targets a global digital credit and Bitcoin capital markets platform.
Venture Fund Targets Bitcoin Infrastructure
Metaplanet Ventures plans to allocate ¥4 billion over the next two to three years to startups in lending, payments, custody, stablecoins, derivatives, and compliance solutions. It will also run an incubator and grant program to support new founders, open-source developers, educators, and academics entering the Bitcoin space.
First Investment: JPYC Stablecoin
As its debut deal, Metaplanet Ventures acquired a ¥400 million ($2.5 million) stake in JPYC, Japan’s first officially licensed stablecoin provider. JPYC maintains a 1:1 peg with the yen and operates on Ethereum, Avalanche, and Polygon. Launched in October 2025, it recently partnered with Sony Bank to integrate stablecoins into Japan’s media and entertainment sector.
CEO Simon Gerovich explained the rationale: “Every Bitcoin transaction has two sides: Bitcoin and a currency. As this market goes institutional, that currency side goes digital.”
Miami Asset Management Expands Global Reach
The newly formed Metaplanet Asset Management, headquartered in Miami, will launch a digital credit and Bitcoin capital markets platform. It plans to offer tailored Bitcoin investment products, advisory services, and regulatory structures for both Asian and Western clients. Specific fund strategies—ranging from fixed income to active equity and volatility-driven solutions—will be disclosed later.
Metaplanet currently holds 35,102 BTC (valued at ~$2.45 billion), making it the fourth-largest corporate Bitcoin holder globally. The firm reiterated its goal of accumulating 210,000 BTC by end-2027, funded primarily through revenue rather than selling existing positions.
Financials and Market Action
Metaplanet reported a net loss of ¥95 billion ($598 million) for the past year, mostly due to unrealized Bitcoin price swings. However, operating profit surged 1,695% year-over-year. Gerovich addressed concerns: “Even in this year’s down market, our stock fell 23% while Bitcoin fell 24% — we have not underperformed.”
MTPLF shares rose 5.53% to $2.29 on Wednesday, while the Tokyo-listed stock declined 1.9% to ¥362 on Thursday.