Metaplanet Shareholders Rebel Over Stock Dilution as SE Asia Crypto Funding Doubles

Japanese Bitcoin treasury company Metaplanet is facing a shareholder revolt over its latest executive stock option pool, with investors demanding the cancellation of 273 million newly issued shares and greater transparency on future equity decisions. The controversy centers on Metaplanet's 10th Series executive option pool, structured as 20% of fully diluted shares that automatically expands as the company issues new stock to fund its Bitcoin (BTC) accumulation strategy. Despite a defense from Bitcoin Magazine CEO David Bailey—who argued that granting the team 20% of the cap table over five years "isn't some crazy number"—many shareholders remain unconvinced, voicing concerns about stock dilution across social media platforms.

Meanwhile, new data from private market intelligence platform Tracxn reveals that crypto investment across Southeast Asia has doubled year-over-year, with 25 funding rounds worth a combined $680 million recorded in 2026 alone. That figure surpasses the $319 million raised across 46 rounds in 2025, indicating that capital is concentrating into fewer, larger deals. Singapore has solidified its dominance as Asia's leading crypto hub, hosting 2,285 of the region's 3,957 blockchain companies and accounting for 82.5% of all-time blockchain equity funding tracked in the area.

In other developments, Citi announced plans to roll out near-instant cross-border blockchain payments for Japanese corporate clients, including transactions processed outside standard banking hours. On the enforcement side, US authorities moved decisively against scam marketplace Xinbi Guarantee, restraining more than $52 million in cryptocurrency linked to its operations. The Justice Department's Scam Center Strike Force seized two wallets holding approximately $12 million in vendor payments and targeted 47 additional wallets suspected of laundering activity. OFAC also designated Xinbi as a significant transnational criminal organization and sanctioned Singapore-based SafeW Technology and Cambodia-based Anwen Technology for allegedly providing technological and financial infrastructure to the network.