Welcome to the Asia-Pacific Morning Brief—an essential summary of overnight cryptocurrency developments that shape regional markets and global sentiment. Please pay attention to this space while enjoying your green tea.
Metaplanet posts 10 billion yen in Bitcoin profits, and Busan proposes a blockchain coffee hub. Tokyo faces a record surge in fraud, with cryptocurrency payments dominating plans targeting the city's youth.
Metaplanet Achieves Significant Profits from Bitcoin Holdings
Metaplanet announced impressive interim results from January to June 2025. In its report, the company recorded revenue of 2.12 billion yen, a 1,156% increase from the previous year. Operating profit reached 1.41 billion yen, compared to a previous loss of 115 million yen.
Bitcoin valuation profits of 10.04 billion yen drove the extraordinary earnings. Ordinary profit surged from a 17.6 million yen loss to 10.57 billion yen. Net income attributable to shareholders amounted to 6.06 billion yen.
Bitcoin's recovery during the second quarter significantly improved these results. Prices rose from 12.38 million yen in April to 15.66 million yen by the end of June. This stands in stark contrast to the first quarter's valuation loss of 7.41 billion yen and a 5.05 billion yen deficit.
Busan Proposes Blockchain Coffee Hub
Busan aims to develop a leading coffee logistics center in Northeast Asia. Experts have proposed blockchain technology for complete supply chain transparency. This system will track coffee from import through processing to export.
The Korea Maritime Institute suggests IoT integration for smart coffee operations. The model includes green coffee import, processing, blending, and storage. Currently, Busan Port handles 94% of coffee imports in Korea.
Stakeholders plan to form a working group in September to develop implementation strategies. This initiative will leverage free trade zone benefits and infrastructure. Regulatory simplification and institutional support remain key development priorities.
Tokyo Fraud Cases Reach All-Time High
Tokyo recorded 15.07 billion yen in fraud damages during the first half of 2025. This represents the highest six-month total ever recorded in the capital. In just six months, this figure nearly matches the worst-case scenario for the entire year 2024.
Police impersonation fraud was predominant, accounting for 65% of total losses. These schemes target victims with fake arrest warrants and bail demands. Notably, 90% of police impersonation victims were under 60 years old.
Social media investment and romance scams also increased significantly this year. Nearly 90% of payments were made through cryptocurrency or online banking. Police warn citizens to verify police officer identities and contact police stations directly.
Asia-Pacific Morning Digest:
A Tale of Two Chinas: Crypto Strategy, Ban or Build: In August 2025, China and Hong Kong stand on opposite ends of the cryptocurrency policy spectrum. However, their strategies intersect in shaping the global digital asset market.
Bitcoin's New Bull Character: Long Ascent Without Sharp Surges: Analysts point to the Net Unrealized Profit/Loss (NUPL) indicator, explaining a transition to a "longer and more sustainable cycle" with fewer sharp, short-term rallies defined in previous bull markets.
Thousands of UK Residents Risk Fines or Jail Due to Crypto Tax Changes: The UK's primary tax agency plans to impose new rules for cryptocurrencies by January 2026. Token holders who fail to understand the changes may face steep penalties.
North Korean Crypto Hackers' Secret Infiltration Methods: ZachXBT has released a series of documents stolen from North Korean cryptocurrency hackers. The documents detail how infiltrators attack cryptocurrency startups and how to respond.
