'Asia's MicroStrategy' Metaplanet And Tether Announce Major Bitcoin Purchases
Stablecoin issuer Tether (CRYPTO: USDT) and Japanese firm Metaplanet Inc. have significantly increased their Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) reserves in the first quarter of 2025, reflecting a growing corporate trend of cryptocurrency investment.
What Happened: Tether acquired 8,888 Bitcoin for approximately $735 million, bringing its total holdings to 92,646 BTC, valued at $7.8 billion as of April 1.
Metaplanet added 696 Bitcoin at an average price of 14,586,230 yen per coin, totaling 10.152 billion yen ($68 million USD at current exchange rates), increasing its holdings to 4,046 BTC.
Tether's latest purchase aligns with its strategy of allocating 15% of its quarterly net profits to Bitcoin, a practice it began in September 2022 and formalized in May 2023.
The company, which reported a $13 billion net profit in 2024, has now amassed the sixth-largest Bitcoin wallet globally, with unrealized gains of $3.86 billion.
Beyond Bitcoin, Tether is diversifying into sectors like AI, energy production and Bitcoin mining, while its USDT stablecoin remains the largest globally, with a supply of 145 billion tokens.
Tether continues to face scrutiny for not conducting full financial audits, relying instead on quarterly attestations.
CEO Paolo Ardoino has prioritized securing a full audit, with the company currently in discussions with a Big Four accounting firm.
Also Read: Bitcoin Is In A Mini Bear Market, Says 10x Research
Why It Matters: Metaplanet's acquisition was executed through its Bitcoin Income Generation business line, utilizing cash-secured put options to buy Bitcoin at below-market prices.
The strategy generated 770 million yen in revenue, equivalent to 50.26 BTC in premiums.
"By selling puts and collecting premium income, the Company improved its BTC acquisition efficiency," Metaplanet stated in its April 1 disclosure.
The firm's Q1 BTC Yield, a key performance indicator, reached 95.6%, reflecting strong growth in its Bitcoin holdings relative to fully diluted shares.
The purchases come amid a challenging market, with Bitcoin's price dropping 12% in Q1 2025—its worst first-quarter performance since 2018—due to macroeconomic uncertainty and shifting sentiment.
Bitcoin is currently trading at around $84,000.
Metaplanet has been actively raising funds through bond issuances and stock acquisition rights to fuel its Bitcoin strategy, including a recent issuance of its 10th Series of Ordinary Bonds to EVO FUND on March 31, aimed at further accumulation.
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