Japan’s financial landscape is changing rapidly, and at the centre of this shift is MetaPlanet, a Tokyo-listed investment firm making bold moves with Bitcoin.
Their latest initiative introduces a yen-denominated preferred stock backed by Bitcoin, offering yields of up to 10%.
It’s a departure from Japan’s traditionally conservative financial products, aimed squarely at savers looking for real returns in an era of low interest rates and stubborn inflation.
MetaPlanet’s offering could not only provide Japanese investors with an inflation-resistant alternative but also reshape how companies raise capital in a market long dominated by government bonds and conventional securities.
With Bitcoin as the foundation, MetaPlanet seems intent on rewriting the rules of corporate finance in Japan.
Why Are Japanese Savers Turning to Bitcoin-Backed Investments?
Japan’s financial system has long been defined by ultra-low interest rates. While this environment benefits borrowers, it has penalised savers for decades.
At present, the interest on standard bank deposits hovers below 0.23%, offering little in the way of real returns. At the same time, inflation has quietly chipped away at savings, averaging between 3.5% and 4% over the past year.
Government bonds, typically seen as a safer alternative, aren’t much better. The yield on the 10-year Japanese government bond stands around 1.45%, not nearly enough to outpace inflation.
Institutional investors, including life insurers who collectively manage around 390 trillion yen, are under pressure to find higher-yielding assets without taking on excessive risk or foreign exchange exposure.
Enter MetaPlanet. By backing its preferred stock with Bitcoin and offering yields of 9% to 10%, the company is introducing a product that aligns with what the market is desperately lacking, which is a high-return, yen-denominated investment that retains inflation protection without exposing investors to foreign currency volatility.
The concept isn’t simply about using Bitcoin as a speculative tool. Instead, Bitcoin serves as collateral, its long-term appreciation and reputation as a hedge against fiat currency devaluation make it suitable for supporting fixed-income instruments.
Regulators in Japan have also been encouraging the development of innovative domestic investment products, and MetaPlanet’s solution fits neatly into this evolving narrative.
How MetaPlanet’s Bitcoin Strategy Is Changing Corporate Finance
MetaPlanet is not a newcomer to the Bitcoin ecosystem. The company currently holds around 13,350 BTC, worth over $1.45 billion. This isn’t a passive accumulation either.
Through a structured accumulation model, MetaPlanet acquires Bitcoin at predetermined price points and earns revenue from those transactions.
This helps maintain operational cash flow while expanding its reserves, a strategy that stands in contrast to companies that simply buy and hold Bitcoin without seeking to generate income from it.
This method also allows MetaPlanet to reduce its exposure to the volatile nature of Bitcoin markets.
By blending operational revenue with asset acquisition, the firm creates a buffer against market shocks while still benefiting from Bitcoin’s long-term appreciation. This conservative approach has helped the company post strong results.
In the second quarter of 2025, MetaPlanet reported earnings of ¥1.097 billion ($7.6 million), a 42.4% increase from the previous quarter, driven largely by its Bitcoin income-generation activities.
The proceeds from the new preferred stock issuance will likely be used to acquire more Bitcoin. As the company’s Bitcoin reserves grow, so does the value of the collateral backing its securities.
This could enable MetaPlanet to gradually lower the coupon rates on future offerings, effectively reducing its cost of capital while maintaining an attractive product for investors.
In the long term, MetaPlanet aims to hold 210,000 BTC, about 1% of Bitcoin’s total supply.
If achieved, this would make the firm one of the most significant institutional holders of Bitcoin globally, and possibly a reference point for how to integrate cryptocurrency into corporate finance.
More broadly, this initiative marks a turning point in Japan’s financial ecosystem. A yen-denominated, Bitcoin-backed security offering high yields could prompt a re-evaluation of how fixed-income investments are structured in the country.
It allows domestic investors to earn real returns without stepping into unfamiliar foreign currency markets.
For the wider financial system, this could be the beginning of a more crypto-integrated capital market, where blockchain assets serve a more functional, less speculative role.
Conclusion
MetaPlanet’s move to offer Bitcoin-backed preferred stock with up to 10% annual yields comes at a critical time for Japanese investors.
As inflation erodes purchasing power and traditional financial instruments fail to deliver meaningful returns, this product presents a compelling alternative.
It combines the familiar structure of preferred shares with the inflation-resistant appeal of Bitcoin, creating a bridge between traditional finance and the evolving world of digital assets.
By pursuing a revenue-generating accumulation strategy and using Bitcoin as productive collateral, MetaPlanet isn’t just creating a novel investment product, it’s laying the groundwork for a shift in how capital can be raised, protected, and grown in Japan.