First Tokyo-Listed Firm to Pay CEO in Bitcoin: Remixpoint Aligns Executive Pay with Crypto Holdings

Remixpoint Turns to Bitcoin to Pay CEO as Equity Ownership Faces Legal Hurdles

Tokyo-based energy consultancy Remixpoint has rolled out a new CEO compensation model that swaps traditional equity incentives for full salary payments in Bitcoin.

The firm said the move reflects its commitment to “shareholder-oriented management” while navigating insider trading restrictions that prevent executives from holding company stock.

According to Remixpoint’s statement on 9 July, CEO Takashi Tashiro will receive his entire salary in Bitcoin, a first for a Tokyo Stock Exchange-listed firm.

His pay will be calculated in yen, taxed accordingly, and then converted into BTC at market value before being transferred to a personal crypto wallet.

The company said the new policy enables the leadership to “share the same economic fate as shareholders,” after calls from investors demanding executives be more financially tied to the firm’s performance.

Legal Restrictions Steer Company Away From Stock-Based Pay

Despite the push for stock ownership, Japanese securities law bars Remixpoint’s executives from holding shares due to compliance risks related to insider trading.

Instead, the company turned to Bitcoin, citing its price correlation with Remixpoint’s own stock as a substitute for equity exposure.

Tashiro, who took over the CEO role in June, said the company would place Bitcoin “at the core of [its] financial strategy,” as part of a broader pivot to asset diversification and risk alignment.

The payment structure, Remixpoint said, will reflect any price movement in Bitcoin similarly to how stock-based compensation would track share performance.

Digital Assets Play Growing Role in Remixpoint’s Corporate Strategy

Even before Tashiro’s appointment, Remixpoint had already been ramping up its crypto holdings.

As of 13 June, the company reported holding over 1,051 Bitcoin, 901 Ether, 13,920 Solana, 1.19 million XRP, and 2.8 million Dogecoin—valued at more than $116 million collectively.

The company began accumulating these assets in 2024 as a hedge against yen depreciation and to diversify its treasury.

Remixpoint previously owned the crypto exchange BITPoint, which it sold to financial giant SBI in 2023.

Despite the sale, the company has deepened its digital asset operations and remains closely connected to the crypto space.

Tashiro is listed as part of BITPoint’s management team, and the exchange has recently drawn attention for promoting the Trump-themed memecoin Official Trump.

Other Companies Also Shift Toward Bitcoin-Linked Pay and Treasuries

While Remixpoint’s Bitcoin-based salary model is a first in Japan’s traditional markets, other organisations have taken similar steps globally.

UK-based Argo Blockchain announced in 2021 that then-CEO Peter Wall would receive his salary in Bitcoin.

In the US, NFL player Russell Okung and New York City Mayor Eric Adams both converted parts of their salaries into crypto.

Within Japan, more listed firms are stacking Bitcoin for corporate reserves.

Metaplanet recently added 2,205 BTC to its balance sheet, bringing total holdings to 15,555 BTC—worth around ¥225.8 billion ($1.7 billion).

The company considers Bitcoin accumulation part of its official treasury operations, tracking a metric it calls “BTC Yield” to measure asset growth relative to share dilution.

Gaming companies like Gumi and Enish have also launched ambitious Bitcoin acquisition strategies in recent quarters, signalling increasing interest among Japan’s public firms to embrace digital assets.

Crypto Salary or Corporate Bet?

While Bitcoin-based pay may appear symbolic, it reflects deeper corporate shifts.

For Remixpoint, the move isn't just about optics—it’s a workaround to regulatory barriers and a commitment to aligning executive fortunes with market volatility.

But tying leadership compensation to a notoriously unstable asset comes with risk.

Whether this model inspires broader adoption or creates internal volatility remains to be seen; however, Japan's public companies are no longer treating Bitcoin as a side bet.