Key Highlights
- Metaplanet launches MARS preferred shares to raise up to $150M for Bitcoin accumulation.
- The firm recently secured a $130M BTC-backed loan to boost liquidity and expand holdings.
- Metaplanet’s strategy increasingly parallels Strategy Inc.’s large-scale Bitcoin acquisition model.
Metaplanet announced the launch of MARS, a new preferred share designed to raise up to $150 million for fresh Bitcoin (BTC) purchases. The company plans to resume accumulation in early 2026 and currently holds 30,823 BTC, worth about $2.8 billion.
Announced at Bitcoin MENA, a prominent Bitcoin conference held in the Middle East, the move strengthens Metaplanet’s position as Japan’s leading Bitcoin-focused treasury company. Its stock has surged more than 54.96% over the past year (despite June’s all-time high) as it leans further into BTC-backed financing. This includes the MERCURY issuance, which currently offers a 4.9% yield pending regulatory approval.
Metaplanet’s growing reliance
On November 25, Metaplanet disclosed that it had secured a $130 million loan backed by a portion of its BTC reserves. The loan, drawn from an existing $500 million credit facility, gives the Tokyo-based company added liquidity to expand its crypto holdings, run income strategies, and potentially execute share buybacks.
The loan’s terms include a variable rate tied to U.S. benchmarks, daily renewal, and full prepayment flexibility. It highlights Metaplanet’s strategy of using its 30,823 BTC reserve to expand its balance sheet while securing capital for opportunistic purchases.
Stock announcement
Metaplanet confirmed today that proceeds from MARS will be used to restart BTC purchases after pausing during recent market volatility.
The company aims to reach 210,000 BTC by 2027, a target that would place it among the world’s largest corporate crypto treasuries. The management emphasized that demand for Bitcoin-linked financial products continues to grow, especially in Japan, where the firm is pioneering BTC-backed securities.
“The best years are ahead for crypto,” Bitmine Chairman Tom Lee said in the December message, citing rising adoption and the coming wave of institutional tokenization.
Following Strategy Inc.’s footsteps
Metaplanet’s expansion mirrors the approach of U.S.-based Strategy Inc., which on December 8 purchased 10,624 BTC for $962 million. Strategy now holds 660,624 BTC, underscoring how both firms are racing to lock in supply despite market volatility.
Both Metaplanet and Strategy follow similar playbooks: issue yield-bearing securities, use the proceeds to buy Bitcoin, and maintain reserves to steady investor confidence. Strategy’s recent $1.44 billion reserve mirrors Metaplanet’s use of MERCURY yields and BTC-backed financing.
Metaplanet’s launch of MARS marks another escalation in the corporate Bitcoin arms race. With new capital tools, aggressive purchasing targets, and a strategy increasingly aligned with the world’s largest BTC treasuries, the company is preparing for an expansion phase that could reshape Japan’s role in the Bitcoin economy heading into 2026.
Also read: Ruya Launches UAE’s First Sharia-Compliant Bitcoin Trading
