tl;dr
Japanese construction firm LibWork Co. has approved purchasing ¥500 million ($3.4 million) in Bitcoin as a treasury asset to hedge against inflation and enter digital markets. The company plans to acquire Bitcoin gradually through 2025 and will apply transparent accounting practices. This move is pa...
Japanese construction firm LibWork Co. has become the latest public company to adopt Bitcoin as a treasury asset. On Monday, its board approved the purchase of ¥500 million ($3.4 million) worth of Bitcoin, marking a significant step in Asia’s growing wave of corporate Bitcoin adoption. LibWork, listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange Growth and Fukuoka Q-Board, views the purchase as a hedge against domestic inflation and a strategic entry into emerging digital markets.
The company plans to acquire Bitcoin gradually between September and December 2025 through a trusted exchange to mitigate risk. Describing Bitcoin as “digital gold,” LibWork emphasized that holding only cash and deposits risks balance sheet erosion due to inflation. Management pledged to apply transparent accounting standards, mark holdings to market quarterly, and promptly disclose any significant earnings impacts.
LibWork’s Bitcoin purchase is tied to its broader innovation strategy, including the development of a “3D printer house NFT” project. This initiative converts architectural design data into NFTs to protect intellectual property and issues ownership certificates linked to physical homes, aiming to enhance transparency and liquidity in housing markets. Executives noted that Bitcoin reserves align with integrating blockchain technologies into core operations.
LibWork’s move reflects a broader trend among Asian corporations embracing Bitcoin. Global data shows the number of public companies holding Bitcoin doubled in the first half of 2025, with eight Japanese firms participating. Japanese corporations increasingly see Bitcoin as a defensive asset and diversification tool amid inflation pressure. This momentum extends across Asia, with foreign firms eyeing Japanese and Hong Kong markets to create treasury companies modeled after MicroStrategy.
Worldwide, public companies now hold more than 962,000 BTC, valued at over $110 billion. Treasury companies typically sign advisory agreements with specialized managers, raise funds publicly, and deploy proceeds into Bitcoin. While this structure appeals by outsourcing custody and trading, it also introduces risks around governance, leverage, and accounting, with potential conflicts of interest encouraging excessive risk-taking.
Despite accelerating corporate adoption, retail participation in Japan remains muted. Surveys show 88% of Japanese residents have never owned Bitcoin. Yet, firms like Metaplanet and Remixpoint continue to expand their BTC holdings even during market downturns, indicating corporate treasury strategies gain traction even as consumer adoption lags.
LibWork’s hybrid approach — blending construction, NFTs, and Bitcoin reserves — highlights how Japanese corporations evolve financial strategies amid inflation and regulatory debate. Japan’s Financial Services Agency is reviewing if corporate crypto holdings fall under securities law, while regional frameworks for digital finance governance are advancing. LibWork’s execution and market reception could set an important precedent for Japanese companies considering cryptocurrency integration.