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Tim Alper

Author

Tim Alper

About Author

Tim Alper is a British journalist and features writer who has worked at Cryptonews.com since 2018. He has written for media outlets such as the BBC, the Guardian, and Chosun Ilbo. He has also worked…

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Last updated: 

August 31, 2025

Major Japanese companies are continuing to buy Bitcoin (BTC) and altcoins with their balance sheets, with the mobile gaming firm Gumi poised to spend 2.5 billion yen ($17 million) on XRP purchases.

Per an official Gumi release and a report from the Japanese media outlet CoinPost, the Tokyo Stock Exchange-listed firm’s board of directors has signed off on the move.

The firm said it aims to complete the purchase before the end of February next year. Gumi’s largest shareholder is SBI Holdings.

Gumi: XRP and BTC Are ‘Two Pillars’ of Our Financial Strategy

SBI is a long-term partner of the XRP issuer Ripple, and an ardent advocate of the altcoin. But Gumi has also proven to be extremely Bitcoin-keen.

The firm announced plans to buy over $6.5 million worth of Bitcoin back in February. And in March this year, Gumi held a $106,000 BTC lottery event for its newest shareholders.

Gumi officials said that the future XRP buy is not purely speculative. Instead, it called the move a “strategic initiative” that would allow it to move into the financial sector.

The company claimed its move would help it participate in the XRP ecosystem. This ecosystem, officials aid, is now playing a central role in international remittances and liquidity networks.

Developing cross-border remittances and liquidity are values “at the core of” SBI’s operations, Gumi noted.

XRP will thus take on “great significance” as a medium- to long-term growth asset, Gumi believes.

Gumi has also unveiled plans to launch a multi-billion yen crypto management fund in conjunction with SBI.

SBI: Aiming for Crypto ETF

SBI wants to launch an exchange-traded fund (ETF) that incorporates BTC, XRP, and other tokens. The firm is currently waiting on approval from Tokyo, which continues to deliberate on crypto ETF appoval.

Gumi has also said that it will look to manage its Bitcoin holdings by using staking protocols.

The company has also explained that it sees BTC and XRP as two separate pillars of its growth strategy.

XRP, it said, is a “network asset that is rooted in real financial demand.” Bitcoin, meanwhile, is a “globally universal asset,” Gumi believes.

Two large corporate entities are pouring big money in cryptocurrencies, and the corporate surge into Bitcoin doesn’t appear to be slowing down. With its bold 1 billion yen ($6.7 million) Bitcoin acquisition, Japanese game producer Gumi is creating waves. Meanwhile, KULR Technology Group is also growing its already considerable cryptocurrency holdings.

The way traditional businesses perceive digital assets has changed significantly as a result of this spike in institutional interest.

Japanese Mobile Gaming Publisher Gumi (3903, mkt cap $150M) announces plan to buy 1b Yen Worth of Bitcoin.

Becomes first listed company in Japan (world?) to participate in Bitcoin staking protocol Babylon as a validator. pic.twitter.com/37nhunaIiX

— matthew sigel, recovering CFA (@matthew_sigel) February 11, 2025

Japanese Gaming Giant Makes Historic Leap In Crypto

Gumi has revealed its intentions to stake Bitcoin via the Babylon protocol, a bold move that is drawing attention in the Japanese business community. The company is using Bitcoin rather than merely purchasing it.

Gumi will systematically buy 1 billion yen worth of Bitcoin between February and May 2025, becoming the first Japanese publicly traded entity to engage in crypto staking. This calculated move demonstrates how corporate crypto efforts are becoming more complex.

Storage To Yield: Development Of Corporate Bitcoin Strategy

The days of companies simply holding Bitcoin in their treasuries are fading fast. This new strategy is best demonstrated by KULR Technology Group, which has increased its Bitcoin holdings to an astounding 610 tokens, or over $60 million.

The company’s bold plan to invest up to 90% of its excess cash reserves in Bitcoin by 2024 has paid off handsomely. The company cautions investors against using this number as a direct measure of financial performance, but its reported 167% BTC Yield year-to-date offers a compelling story of achievement.

Crypto Renaissance In Japan

One could describe the current state of affairs in the Land of the Rising Sun as a corporate crypto awakening. Following Gumi’s disclosure, Metaplanet, often known as the “Japanese MicroStrategy,” has revealed a bold mission to buy 21,000 Bitcoin by 2026.

The business isn’t thinking small; it currently has 1,761 BTC worth 27 billion yen, and intends to issue a staggering 116.65 billion yen worth of shares. This would be the biggest equity offering for Bitcoin in Asia to date.

Beyond Yield Generation

The transition from basic Bitcoin ownership to complex yield-generating schemes is what makes these developments so intriguing. Businesses are finding new ways to increase the performance of their cryptocurrency holdings using platforms like Babylon.

The straightforward “buy and hold” approach to corporate Bitcoin adoption is evolving. Businesses are currently looking into a number of strategies to increase profits while preserving their long-term exposure to the possible growth of the world’s top crypto asset.

Featured image from Gemini Imagen, chart from TradingView