Asia Emerges as Next Major Adoption Engine for Bitcoin

Metaplanet CEO Simon Gerovich believes that Bitcoin's next cycle could belong to Asia, stating that 'the bottom is in' and expecting a stronger finish to 2026.

Gerovich made this prediction during an appearance at Bitcoin Asia 2026 on August 29. He attributed the recent downturn to weaker sellers being forced out of the market, while buyers now entering have longer investment horizons.

Metaplanet has continued to accumulate throughout the downturn and now owns 43,000 BTC, making it the world's third-largest publicly traded corporate Bitcoin holder and Asia's largest.

Gerovich sees a bigger opportunity emerging from Asia's largely untapped capital. Japanese households alone hold roughly $14 trillion in financial assets, about half of which sits in bank deposits, he said.

However, traditional investors across much of Asia have limited ways to gain Bitcoin exposure through existing brokerage and institutional structures. Only 20 publicly traded Asian companies currently hold Bitcoin, Gerovich noted.