Metaplanet, a company listed in Tokyo and referred to as “Asia’s MicroStrategy,” has significantly increased its Bitcoin assets with a recent purchase worth 3.78 billion yen ($26.3 million) in response to rising tensions surrounding U.S. trade tariffs.
The firm announced that it has acquired 319 BTC at an average price of 12,849,780 yen ($82,549) each, increasing its total holdings to 4,525 BTC. Metaplanet aims to elevate its Bitcoin reserves by 470%, targeting 10,000 BTC by the end of the year.
This acquisition happens at a time when digital assets are struggling due to geopolitical pressures. Bitcoin fell by over 2% on Sunday during trading in Asia, slipping to $83,482 as market participants reacted to mixed signals from Washington regarding U.S. trade policy towards China.
In contrast, traditional markets showed resilience despite a stream of announcements from the Trump administration about new tariffs on Chinese electronics. Nasdaq 100 futures climbed more than 1% in early trading, while S&P 500 futures gained 0.7%.
Although smartphones and semiconductors were briefly excluded from a proposed 10% “reciprocal” tariff, President Trump clarified late Sunday on Truth Social that these products will still be subject to a distinct 20% national security tax.
Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick indicated that additional sector-specific tariffs are anticipated in the coming two months.
By Monday at 1 a.m. ET, Bitcoin had increased by just 0.4% over the previous 24 hours, trading at $84,990, as reported by CoinGecko. Ether saw a rise of 1.8% to $1,638 during the same timeframe. The top ten cryptocurrencies by market capitalization experienced either slight gains or remained stable.
Metaplanet has made Bitcoin its primary treasury asset. Last month, the company appointed Eric Trump, the son of the U.S. president, to its newly established Strategic Advisory Board, citing his expertise and enthusiasm for Bitcoin.
Metaplanet is adopting a strategy similar to that of Michael Saylor, whose aggressive approach to Bitcoin accumulation has inspired a growing number of publicly traded companies to follow suit.
At the same time, the Trump administration has initiated two separate programs: a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve funded by confiscated BTC to be held as a permanent national asset, and a U.S. Digital Asset Stockpile that includes other seized cryptocurrencies with the potential for liquidation or strategic utilization.
Edited by Sebastian Sinclair
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