MetaPlanet’s $2B Bitcoin Pivot: From Budget Hotels to Asia’s MicroStrategy

Tokyo-based MetaPlanet has transformed from a pan-Asian hotel operator into one of the world’s largest corporate Bitcoin holders, with 17,595 BTC valued above $2 billion as of August 2025. Shares have surged 1,300% in the past year, but the company’s ambitious target, to acquire 210,000 BTC (1% of total supply) by 2027, hinges on Bitcoin’s long-term strength. With U.S. strategists, Eric Trump on its advisory board, and Japan’s macro headwinds pushing demand for inflation hedges, MetaPlanet now represents both a Bitcoin proxy and a U.S.-Japan crypto bridge.

• MetaPlanet trades on the Tokyo Stock Exchange (ticker: 3350) with a market cap between $4.7B–$5.4B.
• The firm issued $3.73B in perpetual preferred shares to fund Bitcoin accumulation without diluting equity.
• Eric Trump and Bitcoin Magazine’s David Bailey joined the advisory board in 2025, signaling U.S. policy alignment.
• Japanese investors gain BTC exposure through MetaPlanet without triggering capital gains taxes up to 55%.
• Risks include high short interest, leadership turnover, and Bitcoin’s volatility, MetaPlanet’s survival rests on BTC appreciation.

When Simon Gerovich launched his hotel business in 2010, he never envisioned it would transform into one of the world’s largest corporate Bitcoin holders. For nearly two decades, MetaPlanet operated as a pan-Asian budget hotel platform, managing properties across Thailand, the Philippines, Indonesia, and Japan. But when the COVID-19 pandemic devastated the hospitality industry, everything changed.

A Pandemic-Driven Transformation

During lockdown, Gerovich found inspiration while listening to a podcast featuring MicroStrategy’s Michael Saylor discuss corporate Bitcoin accumulation. That insight catalyzed a dramatic strategic pivot. Today, MetaPlanet holds 17,595 BTC, valued at over $2 billion, making it the seventh-largest corporate Bitcoin holder globally.

Shares of MetaPlanet have surged more than 1,300% over the past year and are now trading on the Tokyo Stock Exchange under ticker 3350. As of August 2025, the company’s market capitalization is estimated to be between $4.7 billion and $5.4 billion.

The American DNA in Japan’s Bitcoin Bet

Although headquartered in Tokyo, MetaPlanet’s corporate DNA reflects substantial U.S. influence. CEO Simon Gerovich holds a BA in Applied Mathematics from Harvard University, and the firm has drawn American Bitcoin strategists into key roles.

In May 2024, MetaPlanet appointed Dylan LeClair as its Director of Bitcoin Strategy. LeClair, known for his macroeconomic insights and on-chain analytics, also serves as Head of Market Research at Bitcoin Magazine and UTXO Management.

Eric Trump Joins the Board

A particularly notable addition came in March 2025, when Eric Trump joined MetaPlanet’s Strategic Board of Advisors. His appointment, alongside David Bailey, CEO of Bitcoin Magazine, signaled a clear intent to align MetaPlanet’s growth strategy with pro-Bitcoin U.S. policies under the Trump administration.

Asia’s MicroStrategy: Ambitious Treasury Goals

Mirroring MicroStrategy’s Bitcoin-first strategy, MetaPlanet has announced plans to issue $3.73 billion worth of perpetual preferred shares, a structure that allows them to raise capital without incurring debt or diluting shareholder equity. These instruments offer up to 6% annual dividends, with proceeds directed primarily toward Bitcoin accumulation.

The company’s stated goal: acquire 210,000 BTC, 1% of the total Bitcoin supply, by the end of 2027. As of now, MetaPlanet is 8.4% of the way there.

MetaPlanet reports a year-to-date BTC yield of 459.2%, far surpassing its quarterly benchmark target of 35%. The company’s strategic plan released in January 2025 emphasized that BTC Yield is the foundation of its financial strategy and the primary metric of success, as outlined by Director of Bitcoin Strategy Dylan LeClair.

Japan’s Macroeconomic Tailwinds

MetaPlanet’s rise is also framed by Japan’s fiscal reality. According to CEO Gerovich, the country is “the most indebted nation as a percentage of GDP” and is “printing yen like there’s no tomorrow”. With the yen weakening and inflationary pressures rising, Gerovich views Bitcoin as presenting a compelling hedge.

MetaPlanet’s dominance in Asia positions it to capitalize on a region that has been slower to embrace Bitcoin at the corporate level. Jason Fang of Sora Ventures referred to the company as “Asia’s first MicroStrategy.”

In Japan specifically, MetaPlanet offers investors an efficient Bitcoin exposure path without triggering capital gains taxes that can climb to 55%, making it an attractive instrument for retail and institutional participants alike.

Risk Factors and Short-Term Headwinds

Despite its success, MetaPlanet is not immune to market volatility. The stock fell 16% over the past month, prompting Gerovich to reassure shareholders, stating the “stock price will not necessarily reflect results in the short term.”

The stock is also reportedly “the most shorted among Japanese-listed companies”, adding pressure from speculative bets. Compounding this is the short average management tenure, just 0.5 years, a result of the company’s rapid transformation and leadership turnover.

The Bigger Picture: A U.S.-Japan Bitcoin Bridge

MetaPlanet stands at the convergence of three global trends: Bitcoin adoption, Japanese macro instability, and U.S. crypto strategy. With Eric Trump’s involvement, Harvard-educated leadership, and prominent Bitcoin experts like Dylan LeClair onboard, MetaPlanet is building a unique bridge between American innovation and Asian capital markets.

As 2025 unfolds and Bitcoin narratives enter U.S. policy discussions, MetaPlanet is positioned as a proxy for both U.S.-Japan strategic alignment and long-term institutional exposure to Bitcoin. If it hits its 2027 target of 210,000 BTC, the company may become one of the most influential entities in global Bitcoin accumulation. However, like its inspiration MicroStrategy, MetaPlanet has made a $2 billion bet that Bitcoin only goes up – because if it doesn’t, neither will they.