Metaplanet reports 250,000 Japanese retail shareholders amid bear market

While most companies see their investor base shrink during market downturns, Metaplanet just pulled off something counterintuitive. The Tokyo-listed firm’s shareholder count surpassed 250,000 by late June 2026, a 66% jump in just a few months, all during conditions most would describe as decidedly bearish. That number represents approximately 0.2% of Japan’s entire population. In English: roughly 1 in every 600 Japanese residents now holds a piece of the company that pivoted from running hotels to stockpiling Bitcoin. From hotel operator to Bitcoin whale Metaplanet’s origin story reads like a corporate midlife crisis that actually worked out. The company, listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange under ticker 3350, began its transformation into a Bitcoin treasury vehicle in 2024. It ditched the hotel business and went all-in on accumulating BTC. Metaplanet now holds 40,177 BTC, making it the third-largest corporate Bitcoin holder on the planet. As of May 31, 2026, the company’s net asset value stood at 457.6 billion yen. To finance these purchases, the company has pulled every lever available: equity raises, zero-interest bonds, and warrants. CEO Simon Gerovich’s long-term target is over ...