Metaplanet Inc. Sees Remarkable Stock Surge With Bitcoin Strategy

According to Odaily, Japanese publicly traded company Metaplanet Inc. has experienced a significant stock price increase of over 4,000% in the past 12 months, making it the highest-gaining stock in Japan and one of the top performers globally. This surge follows the company's adoption of a 'Bitcoin-first strategy' in early 2024, inspired by a podcast featuring Michael Saylor's approach. Metaplanet's CEO, Simon Gerovich, a former Goldman Sachs equity derivatives trader, spearheaded this strategic shift. Since implementing this strategy, Metaplanet's shareholder base has expanded to nearly 50,000, marking a 500% increase by 2024. The shareholders include Capital Group, which also invests in Strategy, but the majority are retail investors with limited experience in volatile crypto assets. Rhiannon Ewart-White, Managing Director of UK-based Storm Research and a Japanese stock analyst, emphasized the importance of Metaplanet ensuring that its shareholders fully understand the company's strategy due to the high exposure to a volatile retail investor base. Despite recording losses for six consecutive years, Metaplanet anticipates a profitable fourth quarter, with earnings set to be released in Tokyo on Monday evening. Ewart-White suggests that this could further boost the company's stock price. Metaplanet is not the only Japanese firm emulating MicroStrategy's approach. For instance, software developer Remixpoint Inc. announced plans in September last year to purchase 1.2 billion yen (approximately $8 million) worth of Bitcoin, resulting in a stock price increase of over 300% since then.