Metaplanet equity backlash and Southeast Asian crypto funding surge highlight Singapore’s hub status

Shareholders of Japanese Bitcoin treasury company Metaplanet have voiced strong opposition to the company’s latest executive stock pool, which would allocate 20% of the fully‑diluted share count to insiders and automatically expand as new shares are issued for Bitcoin accumulation. Critics on social media are demanding the cancellation of 273 million newly created shares and greater transparency on future allocations.

Metaplanet’s executive option pool sparks dissent

Metaplanet’s 10th Series executive option pool is designed to represent 20% of the company’s fully diluted equity over five years. Bitcoin Magazine CEO David Bailey defended the structure as “not a crazy number,” but a number of shareholders remain unconvinced and have called for the pool’s removal.

Southeast Asian crypto funding doubles

Private‑market data from Tracxn shows that investment in Southeast Asian crypto firms rose from $319 million in 2025 to $680 million in 2026, across 25 funding rounds. Although the total amount doubled, the number of rounds fell to 46, indicating that larger sums are being concentrated in fewer companies.

Singapore leads the region

Singapore now hosts 2,285 of the 3,957 blockchain companies in Southeast Asia and accounts for 82.5% of all blockchain equity funding tracked in the region, reinforcing its position as the premier crypto hub.

Regulatory and market developments

• Citi plans near‑instant cross‑border blockchain payments for Japanese firms.
• Gemini received a Major Payment Institution license from the Monetary Authority of Singapore, allowing it to offer regulated payment services without volume caps.
• Circle agreed to acquire Singapore‑based cross‑border payments firm Tazapay for $400 million.
• South Korean regulators announced a three‑phase roadmap for tokenized securities, with legal recognition set for February 2027.
• The U.S. Justice Department seized over $52 million linked to the Xinbi scam marketplace and sanctioned related entities in Singapore and Cambodia.