Metaplanet has agreed to buy Siiibo Securities for 2.1 billion yen (about $13.1 million), the company said Monday. The share transfer closes July 13, with full subsidiary conversion expected in August. Siiibo will be renamed Metaplanet Securities. The acquisition is the first concrete step in Project Nova, the firm's plan to stitch together a Bitcoin-focused financial ecosystem in Japan.
Project Nova's reach
Project Nova isn't just a rebranding exercise. According to Metaplanet, the initiative may eventually include Bitcoin-linked bonds, digital credit offerings, tokenized securities, securities funds, and yield-style products. The idea is to offer Japanese investors ways to plug Bitcoin into traditional finance — wrapped in regulated instruments. The company held 40,177 BTC as of May 31, making it one of the largest corporate holders in Asia.
Why Siiibo
Siiibo Securities is an online broker focused on corporate bonds, mostly yen-denominated fixed-income products. That might sound dull compared to crypto, but its license matters. Siiibo is registered with Japan's Financial Services Agency. That gives Metaplanet a ready-made regulatory shell to issue securities tied to digital assets — without having to apply for a new license from scratch. The broker's existing bond client base also offers a potential distribution channel for new Bitcoin-linked debt.
The regulatory picture
The FSA has talked about moving crypto toward securities-style treatment, but the agency repeatedly warns that such a shift isn't an endorsement. Japan's rules are still forming. The backdrop: Bank of Japan data shows households held about 2,351 trillion yen in financial assets at end of 2025, with 48.5% in cash and deposits. That's a massive pool of capital that's barely touched crypto. Metaplanet is betting the regulatory fog will lift — and that a licensed broker is the way to be ready when it does.
What's still unknown
Metaplanet hasn't disclosed the exact terms, collateral rules, or investor protections for any future Bitcoin-linked product. That's the part that will matter most to retail buyers. The share transfer is set for mid-July. Until then, the blueprint remains just that — a plan.
