Asia’s biggest bitcoin buyer now wants to build the BTC ecosystem

Tokyo-listed Metaplanet, which holds 35,102 BTC, is expanding its strategy beyond simply accumulating Bitcoin to actively building the surrounding ecosystem in Japan. The company announced the creation of Metaplanet Ventures K.K., a wholly-owned subsidiary, which will deploy approximately JPY 4 billion (about $27 million) over the next two to three years to fund this initiative. This subsidiary will operate through three programs: a venture investment arm targeting seed to growth-stage companies in areas like lending, payments, and custody; an incubator for early-stage infrastructure firms in Japan; and a grants program supporting open-source developers and educators domestically. This strategic move is timed to prepare for Japan's expected reclassification of Bitcoin as a regulated financial asset by January 2028, which will necessitate significant domestic infrastructure build-out. Metaplanet confirmed its core focus on holding Bitcoin as a treasury reserve remains unchanged.

(Source：CoinDesk)