Japanese companies are rushing to join the Bitcoin reserve army, and nail salon chains are getting in on the action.

Recently, there has been a surge in Bitcoin reserve enthusiasm in the Japanese business community. Following the hotel industry giant MetaPlanet, more and more companies are beginning to emulate this strategy. The latest to join this trend is a nail salon chain named Convano Inc, which not only announced a large-scale plan to purchase Bitcoin but also set an ambitious goal of holding 21,000 BTC within two years. This move immediately triggered a strong response in the market, leading to a significant increase in the company's stock price.

Convano officially announced its entry into the cryptocurrency asset sector on July 17, launching a Bitcoin reserve strategy. This publicly traded company, headquartered in Tokyo, was established in 2007 and primarily operates nail salons and media businesses, owning several nail brands and managing about 50 directly operated and franchised stores in Tokyo's core business district. Recently, the company has begun to focus on the cryptocurrency and AI data sectors.

The company explained that in the face of increasingly severe inflation pressures and exchange rate fluctuations, enterprises need to enhance their inflation resistance capabilities and optimize currency allocation. Convano views Bitcoin as a tool for hedging against inflation and preserving value, aiming to strengthen the stability of its financial structure and protect against potential loss of purchasing power in its core yen business. To ensure the smooth implementation of its strategy, the company has established a dedicated Bitcoin strategy office, led by a director with early investment experience in crypto assets.

Convano subsequently announced two rounds of financing totaling 3.5 billion yen (approximately 23.64 million USD) for the purpose of purchasing Bitcoin. The company has established an ambitious three-phase plan, aiming to hold 21,000 Bitcoins by the end of March 2027, which accounts for about 0.1% of the total Bitcoin supply. To support the initial phase of the plan, the company also issued 2 billion yen in ordinary corporate bonds. Convano emphasized that this strategy is a form of financial defensive allocation, rather than a short-term speculative behavior.

Since July, Convano has invested a total of 2.9 billion yen (approximately 19.7 million USD) and holds 164.93 Bitcoins. Following the announcement of this strategy, the company's stock price surged by as much as 78.76%, reaching an all-time high. Driven by optimistic market sentiment, Convano has also raised its performance forecast for the fiscal year 2026.

In fact, since the successful case of MetaPlanet, more and more Japanese companies have begun to view cryptocurrency assets as a new type of financial tool for attracting funding, increasing visibility, and hedging risks. Data shows that among the top 100 publicly listed companies holding the most Bitcoin globally, Japanese companies occupy 9 seats, placing Japan among the top five countries for Bitcoin corporate reserves.

The formation of this trend stems from multiple factors. Firstly, Japan is considering adjusting its tax system for crypto assets, potentially lowering the tax rate from a maximum of 55% to 20%, aligning it with traditional financial assets like stocks. Secondly, the successful transformation of MetaPlanet provides a reference for other companies. Furthermore, Japan is currently facing issues such as sluggish economic growth, high levels of national debt, and the continuous depreciation of the yen, prompting companies to seek alternative assets for value preservation.

In addition, the friendly attitude of Japanese policymakers towards crypto assets has created a favorable environment for companies to invest in Bitcoin. Japan has recognized cryptocurrency as a legal means of payment and is considering including it in the category of financial products, while also contemplating the approval of a Bitcoin spot ETF.

In summary, Japanese companies are becoming important players in the global cryptocurrency market, which is the result of multiple factors working together, including tax optimization, pressure for corporate transformation, macroeconomic uncertainty, a friendly regulatory environment, and global trends. Of course, the market's mentality of chasing highs and cutting losses has also accelerated this process to a certain extent.