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Japan Pension Giant GPIF Allocates First ¥180 Billion to Crypto Index Funds

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Japan’s Government Pension Investment Fund (GPIF), the world’s largest pension fund with over ¥200 trillion ($1.3+ trillion) in assets under management, has made its first direct allocation to cryptocurrency.

The GPIF has committed ¥180 billion (approximately $1.2 billion) to crypto index funds, marking a historic entry into digital assets for the conservative Japanese pension giant.

A Landmark Move

This allocation represents GPIF’s initial foray into the crypto market. Instead of picking individual cryptocurrencies, the fund is investing in crypto index funds that track a basket of major digital assets, providing diversified exposure while managing risk.

The decision comes as Japan continues to develop a more supportive regulatory environment for cryptocurrencies, including clearer rules for digital asset investment trusts expected in 2026.

Why This Matters

GPIF manages retirement savings for tens of millions of Japanese citizens. Its investment decisions are closely watched by other large institutional investors worldwide. The move signals growing acceptance of crypto as a legitimate asset class among ultra-conservative, long-term investors.

By choosing index funds, GPIF is taking a cautious but clear step — gaining exposure to Bitcoin, Ethereum, and other major cryptocurrencies without the need to actively manage individual holdings.

Strategic Context

This allocation aligns with GPIF’s ongoing efforts to diversify its massive portfolio and seek new sources of returns in a low-yield environment. Previously, the fund had explored information on Bitcoin and other alternative assets, but this ¥180 billion commitment is its first actual investment in the sector.

The timing reflects broader institutional momentum in Japan and globally, as pension funds, sovereign wealth funds, and traditional asset managers increasingly allocate small but meaningful portions of their portfolios to digital assets.

Outlook

While ¥180 billion represents only a small percentage of GPIF’s total assets, the symbolic importance is substantial. It opens the door for potential future increases in allocation and is likely to encourage other Japanese institutional investors to follow suit.

Market participants will now watch closely for any performance reports and whether GPIF expands its crypto exposure in the coming quarters.

GPIF’s first ¥180 billion allocation to crypto index funds is a landmark development that further legitimizes cryptocurrencies within traditional finance and highlights the accelerating institutional adoption of digital assets in Japan and beyond.

Bitcoin

Strategy Adds 1,036 Bitcoin as BNY Picks Figment for Institutional Staking

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Strategy Adds 1,036 Bitcoin as BNY Picks Figment for Institutional Staking

Key takeaways

  • Strategy bought 1,036 bitcoin for $81.9 million between Nov. 2 and Nov. 8, lifting its holdings to 850,364 BTC, according to an SEC filing dated Nov. 9.
  • The company paid an average of $79,012 per coin last week and has now spent $64.16 billion on its stack, at an average of $75,456.
  • On Nov. 12, Figment said it will provide validator infrastructure so eligible BNY Digital Asset Custody clients can stake supported assets, starting with ether, then Solana, The Block reported.

Strategy bought 1,036 bitcoin for $81.9 million last week, bringing its holdings to 850,364 BTC, according to a Nov. 9 filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Separately, BNY said it will use Figment’s validator infrastructure so eligible custody clients can stake supported crypto assets.

The Form 8-K covers the week from Nov. 2 to Nov. 8. Strategy paid an average of $79,012 per bitcoin, inclusive of fees and expenses. It said it has now paid $64.16 billion in total for its holdings, at an average price of $75,456 per coin. Cointelegraph reported that the stack is now about 4.05% of bitcoin’s 21 million supply cap.

The coins were funded with net proceeds from sales of class A common stock. Strategy sold 2,051,348 MSTR shares under its at-the-market program and raised $283.8 million, the filing shows. Of that, $81.9 million went to bitcoin, $188.3 million was used to repurchase 1,887,464 STRC preferred shares, and $13.6 million was allocated to USD Cash.

As of Nov. 8, Strategy’s USD Reserve stood at $4.77 billion and USD Cash at $146.2 million. The company used $21.1 million of the reserve during the week to pay dividends on its preferred stock. It still had $560.3 million available under its preferred repurchase program, $1.0 billion under its MSTR buyback authorization, and about $18.34 billion of MSTR still available under the ATM.

Executive Chairman Michael Saylor posted the update on X, Bitcoin Magazine reported: “Strategy has acquired 1,036 $BTC and repurchased $188M of $STRC. As of 11/8/26, we hold 850,364 BTC and $4.9B of USD Assets.”

Cointelegraph said that since the start of October, Strategy has spent about $1.06 billion buying back STRC, nearly five times the $219.7 million it spent on bitcoin. The latest purchase follows 811 BTC bought for $65.5 million the previous week.

The filing lands as bitcoin trades below Strategy’s $75,456 average cost. On Friday, bitcoin fell below $70,000, its lowest level since Aug. 20. The company has kept buying, though at a slower pace than in earlier periods when it resumed purchases after a 10-week pause.

BNY Taps Figment for Institutional Staking

On Thursday, Figment announced a collaboration with BNY to support staking on BNY’s Digital Asset Custody platform. Eligible asset managers, ETF issuers, corporates and wealth management firms will be able to stake supported digital assets already held in custody, Figment said. A Figment spokesperson told The Block that ether will be supported first, followed by Solana. The companies did not give a launch date.

“As institutional participation in staking grows, the focus is shifting from simply accessing staking to how it is delivered,” Ralf Roth, BNY’s head of digital asset custody, said in a statement. “Offering staking with Figment in a trusted custody framework can give institutions greater confidence in how they participate, while supporting the standards of security, oversight and accountability they expect from a global custodian.”

BNY launched its digital asset custody service in October 2022, initially accepting bitcoin and ether from select clients, The Block reported. Last month, BNY and Ripple expanded that custody agreement to cover XRP and RLUSD. The staking plan adds to a wider institutional push, including Visa’s decision to support Western Union’s USDPT stablecoin for VisaNet settlement.

Josh Deems, Figment’s head of revenue, said the firm is bringing its validator infrastructure to BNY’s existing platform and servicing workflows. Figment said it provides staking services to more than 1,500 institutions. The companies did not say how much client capital might be staked at launch.

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