China is making moves that could impact the entire cryptocurrency market. There are reports suggesting that the country is considering launching a strategic Bitcoin reserve and may soon lift its crypto ban. This has created buzz, especially for altcoins tied to Chinese blockchain projects, as they stand to benefit from the country’s growing interest in digital assets. Hashkey CEO recently said, “I think there is the possibility the mainland China government will reconsider their stance towards the crypto and Web3 industry.”
China’s Shift Toward Crypto
China’s push into cryptocurrency seems driven by its desire to compete with the U.S. and strengthen its position globally. As more countries embrace digital currencies, China wants to lead the way in crypto and blockchain technology.
Experts believe that when China lifts its crypto ban, a significant amount of money will flow into Chinese tokens. Analyst Tracer explains, “In a positive scenario, their liquidity will first flow into China-related tokens,” potentially sparking a rally in altcoins connected to Chinese blockchain projects. This presents a great opportunity for investors to get ahead of the curve.
Top Chinese Altcoins to Watch
Aethir (ATH) – A project focused on building decentralized GPU computing infrastructure. With a market cap of $275.77M, it’s one to watch as liquidity pours into China-related tokens.
Zilliqa (ZIL) – A high-speed blockchain designed for scalability, Zilliqa is ready to take off when China’s crypto ban is lifted. It has a market cap of $257.15M and is set to benefit from increased demand.
Neo (NEO) – Known as the “Chinese Ethereum,” Neo is one of the country’s most established blockchains. With a market cap of $578.91M, Neo could see growth as China’s crypto industry expands.
Polyhedra Network’s ZKJ token crashed nearly 60% in under an hour on June 15, wiping out over $360 million in market capitalization.
KOGE, the governance token of 48 Club DAO, also dropped by 50% during the same window, losing more than $100 million in market cap.
ZKJ Faces Major Liquidity Mismanagement
The sharp sell-off began when the KOGE/USDT liquidity pool was depleted, leaving liquidity providers unable to exit. Panic selling followed as investors began converting KOGE into ZKJ.
According to early community reports, the KOGE team failed to add USDT to its liquidity pool. This triggered what some users called a “rug from both sides.”
Metaplanet, a Tokyo-based publicly traded company (TSE: 3350), has significantly expanded its Bitcoin (BTC) treasury holdings by purchasing an additional 463 BTC for approximately $55 million.
This strategic investment was executed at an average price of around $119,500 per BTC. It underscores the firm’s commitment to strengthening shareholder value through substantial cryptocurrency accumulation.
Strengthening Treasury with Bitcoins
Following this recent acquisition, Metaplanet now holds 17,595 BTC at an average purchase price of approximately $102,800 per coin. The company’s total investment in Bitcoin amounts to roughly $1.8 billion, positioning Metaplanet among Japan’s largest and the world’s seventh-largest corporate Bitcoin holders.
Metaplanet utilizes Bitcoin Yield (BTC Yield) as a key performance indicator (KPI) to measure the success of its treasury strategy. BTC Yield measures the percentage change in Bitcoin holdings relative to fully diluted shares outstanding over specific reporting periods. Between July 1 and August 4, 2025, Metaplanet reported a BTC Yield of 24.6%, reflecting continued aggressive accumulation.
The firm also tracks BTC Gain and BTC Dollar Gain metrics. BTC Gain quantifies the absolute growth of the company’s Bitcoin holdings, excluding dilution effects from new share issuances. BTC Dollar Gain represents the market value of BTC Gain translated into US dollars. It provides investors with clear insight into Metaplanet’s treasury management performance.
For Q2 2025 (April 1 to June 30), Metaplanet reported a BTC Yield of 129.4%, accumulating a BTC Gain of 5,237 BTC, translating into approximately $604 million. These figures highlight Metaplanet’s robust financial strategy in leveraging cryptocurrency investments to bolster its corporate treasury.
Navigating Inflation and Currency Risks
Metaplanet’s aggressive Bitcoin acquisitions align with growing concerns over inflation and persistent yen depreciation. According to industry analysts, the company’s cryptocurrency strategy serves as a protective hedge against monetary inflation.
“Japanese companies are facing persistent yen depreciation, making Bitcoin an attractive hard asset hedge,” said a crypto market analyst in an earlier statement to BeInCrypto. “BTC offers superior long-term risk-adjusted returns, particularly in markets where real yields remain negative.”
Metaplanet’s Bitcoin-focused treasury management comes amid rising global inflation, notably in major economies such as the United States and Japan. With the yen experiencing sustained depreciation, Japanese corporations increasingly view Bitcoin as a viable long-term safeguard against diminishing purchasing power.
The company’s extensive BTC holdings contribute significantly to its corporate value. They overshadow traditional ventures like hotels and media. These legacy businesses currently represent only a limited revenue base.
Although the hotel segment remains stable, its profit contribution remains minor relative to the scale of the cryptocurrency investment. During Q1 2025, Metaplanet reported revenue of approximately $6 million, a 943.9% year-over-year increase, primarily attributed to gains from Bitcoin sales and related activities.
Metaplanet’s shares exhibit volatility that exceeds Bitcoin’s fluctuations. This indicates amplified exposure and sensitivity to crypto market shifts. The volatility is driven by debt financing, new share issuances, and market premiums tied to expected future holdings.
Redefining Corporate Value Through Bitcoin-Centric Strategy
The firm maintains that its KPI methodology accurately reflects treasury performance without overstating the implications of equity dilution. Management emphasizes that BTC Yield, BTC Gain, and BTC Dollar Gain are valuable treasury performance metrics. These indicators help assess effectiveness independently of traditional revenue or profitability benchmarks.
Metaplanet’s continued Bitcoin accumulation signals confidence in BTC’s long-term potential. The company views it as a tool for robust inflation protection and attractive returns amid global uncertainty. Investors closely monitor the $101,000 per BTC price level, which marks Metaplanet’s break-even threshold. This level is seen as a financial “danger zone” where potential losses could materialize.
The SEC has yet again cracked down on crypto fraud. The agency has charged the man behind PGI Global, Ramil Palafox, for running a massive $198 million scam through his company, PGI Global, which falsely claimed to be a crypto and forex trading platform.
As per the SEC’s press release, from January 2020 through October 2021, Palafox promised investors massive returns through ‘membership packages’ and also offered them multi-level marketing-like referral incentives in order to encourage them to recruit new investors.
Over $57 Million Investor Funds Misused
Palafox misappropriated over $57 million in investor funds to fund his lavish lifestyle like buying Lamborghinis, items from luxury retailers and for other personal expenses. Further, he also used up the left investor money to pay other investors their returns and referral bonuses, like a classic Ponzi scheme, until it collapsed in 2021.
“As alleged in our complaint, Palafox attracted investors with the allure of guaranteed profits from sophisticated crypto asset and foreign exchange trading, but instead of trading, Palafox bought himself and his family cars, watches, and homes using millions of dollars of investor funds,” said Scott Thompson, Associate Director of the SEC’s Philadelphia Regional Office.
Laura D’Allaird, Chief of the Commission’s new Cyber and Emerging Technologies Unit added that Palafox fooled investors by pretending to be a crypto expert with advanced AI trading technology.
SEC Seeks Penalties and Recovery of Funds
The SEC has charged Palafox with violating anti-fraud and securities laws, seeking permanent bans, the return of ill-gotten gains, and civil penalties. Palafox also faces criminal charges filed by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia.
These actions show the SEC’s ongoing efforts to hold individuals and companies accountable for fraudulent activities in the crypto sector. Regulators are increasingly targeting deceptive practices, from Ponzi schemes to illegal staking services, indicating that the crypto space will be held to the same legal standards as traditional financial markets.
The post Crypto News: SEC Exposes Fake Crypto Trading Platform That Cost Investors $198 Million appeared first on Coinpedia Fintech News
The SEC has yet again cracked down on crypto fraud. The agency has charged the man behind PGI Global, Ramil Palafox, for running a massive $198 million scam through his company, PGI Global, which falsely claimed to be a crypto and forex trading platform. As per the SEC’s press release, from January 2020 through October …
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Binance Alpha volumes collapsed = whales & bots dominate
