Metaplanet CEO Simon Gerovich said Asia’s first Bitcoin cycle has begun, urging companies, institutions and savers to take advantage of regulatory changes and growing digital-asset interest. Metaplanet shifted from its struggling hotel and technology businesses to buying Bitcoin in 2024 and now holds 43,000 bitcoins worth about $3.3 billion at current prices, according to the article. Gerovich said the strategy gave investors Bitcoin exposure through the company’s regulated shares. He highlighted Japan’s roughly $14 trillion in household financial assets, about half held in bank deposits earning almost nothing, alongside savings across Korea, Southeast Asia and Hong Kong. Japan, Hong Kong and Singapore are changing regulations to support digital assets. In a Bitcoin Magazine post dated August 28, 2026, Gerovich said Bitcoin’s price bottom was in and that the rest of the year could be brighter.