Metaplanet, a company focused on acquiring Bitcoin, has launched Metaplanet Ventures, a new firm dedicated to supporting the Bitcoin ecosystem in Japan. This move comes as Japan prepares to recognize Bitcoin as a regulated financial asset, potentially within the next two years.
Metaplanet Ventures will focus on funding, incubating, and scaling companies that build regulated Bitcoin financial infrastructure. The firm aims to strengthen Japan's domestic ecosystem and enhance its international competitiveness.
The venture firm will operate through investment, incubation, and grants programs. The investment arm will target seed to growth-stage startups building on the Bitcoin Layer 2 Lightning Network and other payment or lending platforms. Startups in stablecoins, derivatives trading, custody, and tokenization may also receive support.
The incubator program will nurture early-stage Bitcoin and crypto infrastructure startups in Japan, while the grants program will support open-source developers, educators, researchers, and community organizers.
Metaplanet plans to invest 4 billion Japanese yen (approximately $25.2 million) over the next two to three years, funded by its Bitcoin-related income. Metaplanet CEO Simon Gerovich and board director Shinpei Okuno will represent Metaplanet Ventures.
Despite this expansion, accumulating and holding Bitcoin long-term remains Metaplanet's primary objective. The company is currently the fourth-largest corporate Bitcoin holder, with over 35,000 BTC valued at $2.44 billion. Metaplanet aims to acquire 1% of the Bitcoin network's maximum supply, or 210,000 BTC, by the end of 2027.