Asia Crypto Landscape Shifts Amid Metaplanet Backlash and Record Funding
Metaplanet's executive stock pool has sparked backlash from shareholders over concerns of stock dilution. The Tokyo-based Bitcoin treasury company's 10th Series executive option pool, which accounts for 20% of fully diluted shares and expands automatically as the company issues new shares to fund its BTC accumulation, has drawn criticism from multiple stakeholders.
Some investors are asking Metaplanet to cancel the additional 273 million shares created by the changes and provide more transparency in future decisions. David Bailey, CEO of Bitcoin Magazine, defended Metaplanet, stating that giving the team 20% of the cap table over five years 'isn't some crazy number.' However, many shareholders disagree.
In other news, Citi plans to offer Japanese companies near-instant international payments through blockchain-based infrastructure. Meanwhile, investment in South East Asian crypto firms doubled between 2025 and 2026, with the region recording 25 funding rounds worth $680 million in 2026. Singapore has taken the lead as Asia's preeminent crypto hub, accounting for 82.5% of all-time blockchain equity funding tracked across the region.