Once seen as fringe experiments, Bitcoin treasury companies are now central players in the digital asset market. Modeled after pioneers like MicroStrategy, these firms pile Bitcoin onto their balance sheets, straddling the line between operating businesses and crypto investment trusts.
Also, momentum has accelerated in recent months in Asia, drawing the attention of investors, regulators, and corporate boards. The key question is whether treasuries can survive rising regulatory scrutiny or collapse under mounting risks.
Bitcoin Treasury Firms Grew From 70 to 134 This Year
Why It Matters: Bitcoin has already entered the mainstream of corporate finance. In the first half of 2025, the number of public companies holding BTC doubled. According to K33 Research, the number of public firms with Bitcoin treasuries rose from 70 to 134 between December 2024 and June 2025, acquiring a combined 244,991 BTC. Eight Japanese firms appear to have adopted the strategy, signaling that Asia has moved from bystander to active participant. This rapid expansion raises fundamental questions about oversight, stability, and survival.
Latest Developments: Recent headlines highlight Asia’s role. The Financial Times reported that American Bitcoin, a US miner backed by Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump, is scouting acquisitions in Japan and Hong Kong. The goal: build Asian versions of MicroStrategy-style treasury companies. This could be an opportunity for Asia’s markets to gain exposure to a new asset class, but without regulatory guardrails, the risks of volatility and instability rise.
At the same time, the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) issued its July 2025 Digital and AI Ministerial Statement. Leaders from 21 member economies pledged to strengthen trust and safety in digital ecosystems. While the statement did not name treasury firms specifically, it stressed the need for robust policy frameworks around emerging digital finance models. APEC’s direction signals a trend toward closer supervision for companies now holding thousands of BTC on their balance sheets.
What Treasury Companies Do
Background: As explained by the BitMEX Blog, treasury companies typically sign advisory agreements with specialized managers, raise capital in public markets, and deploy proceeds into Bitcoin. They promise exposure to BTC without requiring investors to manage custody or trading. This appeals to institutions and retail investors but creates risks, since leverage, accounting treatment, and governance standards vary widely.
MicroStrategy pioneered the strategy in 2020, first framing BTC as an inflation hedge, later evolving into a dedicated treasury firm. Tesla briefly followed, while Japan’s Metaplanet adopted the model in 2023. Today, dozens of microcaps worldwide have launched similar strategies. Amina Group estimates that public companies hold nearly 962,000 BTC, worth more than $110 billion.
Is Bitcoin Treasury Dangerous? How?
Deeper Analysis: The crypto market reached nearly $4 trillion in July 2025. Bloomberg attributed the growth to regulatory progress and investor optimism. However, Reuters stressed that retail still dominates spot Bitcoin ETFs and trading activity while institutional participation grows.
BeInCrypto has reported that public companies have accelerated Bitcoin acquisitions in 2025, often financing them through equity and debt issuance. This has lifted BTC’s price and stock valuations in the bull run. Yet experts warn the same strategies may turn dangerous in a downturn. Heavy reliance on convertible debt, with a $12.8 billion maturity wall by 2028, exposes firms like MicroStrategy and Marathon Digital to refinancing risk.
Analysts note that when debt ratios exceed 30%, even a 20% drop in Bitcoin can trigger defaults. Some argue institutions add discipline and long horizons, but BeInCrypto highlighted that shareholder pressure and quarterly results may force these companies to sell in bear markets, amplifying volatility.
Another layer of risk lies in the premiums to net asset value (NAV) at which many treasury companies trade. Galaxy Research explained in July 2025 that shares of firms such as Metaplanet and The Blockchain Group have traded at 200–300% above the per-share value of their BTC holdings. Investors pay these premiums for exposure to Bitcoin and access to capital-raising engines like at-the-market (ATM) equity programs.
These allow firms to issue shares at prevailing prices, buy more BTC, and still grow BTC per share, creating a self-reinforcing loop. MicroStrategy, rebranded as Strategy, has mastered this playbook, raising billions since 2020 to amass nearly 600,000 BTC.
The danger comes if premiums collapse. If a company’s stock trades near its NAV, new equity issuance no longer enhances BTC per share but dilutes it. VanEck’s Matthew Sigel noted, “Once you are trading at NAV, shareholder dilution is no longer strategic. It’s extractive.”
This cycle—premiums support capital raises, which fund BTC purchases, which reinforce the narrative—can unravel quickly. Should valuations slip to NAV or below, capital dries up, growth stalls, and the narrative that fueled premiums weakens. For now, treasury companies benefit from investor enthusiasm. Still, the model’s sustainability depends on financial discipline, transparency, and the ability to grow BTC per share rather than accumulating more coins.
Its Impact Will Not Be Small
Behind the Scenes: Motives for joining the boom vary. Some firms see Bitcoin as a way to tap capital markets. American Bitcoin’s planned entry into Asia shows how US political influence intersects with financial hubs eager for new products. Others, particularly microcaps, use the “treasury” label to attract speculative investors. Regulators see uncomfortable echoes of past bubbles in this mix of hype and leverage.
APEC economies also differ in their risk appetite. Japan and Singapore emphasize compliance and transparency. Hong Kong is a strict gateway between mainland China and global markets. Emerging Southeast Asian economies remain more experimental, leaving space for treasury firms to operate in regulatory gray zones.
Broader Impact: If treasury companies succeed in Asia, their impact could ripple across industries. Corporations could access new financing channels, with balance sheets acting like quasi-ETFs. Traditional banks may face competitive pressure as firms bypass conventional markets. However, volatility could erode trust if stock prices diverge too far from the underlying Bitcoin value.
For ordinary investors, listed treasury firms mean indirect exposure to Bitcoin. Employees may find their stock-based compensation tied to BTC cycles, linking household finances to crypto’s volatility.
Essential Facts:
- Bitcoin treasury firms nearly doubled in H1 2025, from 70 to 134.
- Collectively, they purchased 244,991 BTC in that period.
- Eight Japanese firms, along with dozens in North America and Europe, now hold BTC on balance sheets.
- Amina Group estimates 962,000 BTC are held by public companies, worth over $110 billion.
- APEC emphasized “trust and safety” in digital ecosystems.
It May Encourage Excessive Risk-taking
Looking Forward: APEC’s subsequent ministerial meetings may address treasury companies more directly. Regulators in Japan and Singapore are expected to clarify accounting and investor protection standards. Hong Kong will likely expand disclosure requirements for new listings. Meanwhile, BeInCrypto recently noted that Japanese corporates diverge: Remixpoint has expanded its BTC holdings, while Value Creation has exited entirely. Such differences highlight the diversity of strategies in Asia and the uncertainty over which approach will prevail.
Historical Perspective: MicroStrategy’s entry in 2020 triggered the first wave, followed by Tesla. Asia’s moment came with Metaplanet in 2023. By 2025, the scale dwarfed earlier phases: twice as many companies, hundreds of thousands more Bitcoin acquired, and debate elevated to ministerial levels. Yet risks remain reminiscent of 2021’s retail-driven bubble, where price momentum overwhelmed fundamentals.
Risks:
- Sharp BTC price drops could damage balance sheets.
- Overleveraging may drive firms into insolvency.
- Stock valuations diverging from NAV may hurt retail investors.
- Blind “Saylorization” — copying MicroStrategy without discipline — risks backfiring.
Expert Opinion: The BitMEX Blog warns about structural conflicts, “Advisory agreements can create conflicts of interest, as managers may earn fees regardless of outcomes, encouraging excessive risk-taking.”
Matthew Sigel, head of digital assets research at VanEck, observed on X, “Bitcoin treasury companies may accelerate volatility by acting as forced sellers in downturns, amplifying price cycles.”
And BeInCrypto reported the potential risk of these companies in its August analysis, “Bitcoin treasury companies have already shown their capacity to trigger broader market sell-offs, shaking investor confidence and deepening bear markets.”
These insights underscore the dilemma: treasury firms can accelerate adoption and open capital markets to Bitcoin, but they also amplify risks. For Asia’s entrants, survival will depend on whether regulation evolves quickly enough to contain dangers while allowing innovation to thrive.
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