28 stories about Japan from across the crypto press, curated and summarized daily. Most recent: Aug 26, 2026.
Japan is developing a blockchain-based stock settlement system, with details expected early 2027. If approved, the system could be fully operational by the early 2030s. This move aims to modernize Japan's financial infrastructure and reduce settlement times.
Laser Digital Japan has received regulatory approval to offer crypto liquidity services, marking the first such license in Japan since 2022. The move signals growing institutional interest in Japan's crypto market, with plans to expand into institutional trading services.
Japan's largest bank, MUFG, is testing blockchain technology to settle government bond trades in real time. This could speed up transactions and reduce costs for investors. The proof-of-concept will use the Canton network, a blockchain infrastructure designed for institutional use.
AZ-Com Maruwa, a logistics firm supplying Amazon Japan, will pay 2,300 partners using the yen-pegged stablecoin JPYC. This marks Japan's first large-scale corporate adoption of stablecoins for payments.
Japan's SBI Holdings will use its JPYSC stablecoin for settlement and collateral while distributing Ondo's financial products through its network, as part of a deal to tokenize Japanese stocks.
Japan’s revised Financial Instruments and Exchange Act introduces crypto insider trading rules, tougher penalties and new oversight requirements for crypto businesses.
Japan's lawmakers have reclassified cryptocurrencies as financial assets, moving beyond their previous status as a payment method. The change is designed to create rules suited for investment products and is expected to lead to tax reductions for crypto investors.
JCB, a major Japanese credit card company, has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Circle to explore using USDC for cross-border treasury operations and merchant payments. This move signals growing interest in regulated stablecoin adoption in Japan.
Japan’s largest card network, JCB, has signed a memorandum of understanding with Circle to explore using USDC for cross-border payments and merchant transactions. The partnership could bring stablecoin payments to 40 million merchants as Japan ramps up efforts to integrate stablecoins into everyday commerce.
SBI Holdings and the Solana Foundation are collaborating to create an onchain financial market, with SBI R3 rebranding to SBI Solana Global. This partnership aims to leverage Solana's blockchain technology for financial services in Japan.
Progmat, Japan’s dominant security token platform, has transferred nearly $3 billion in assets to the Avalanche blockchain. This move highlights Avalanche’s growing role in institutional crypto adoption.
SBI VC Trade will start offering a yen-backed stablecoin lending service on July 16, with a 3% annual yield for a 12-week term. The service is uninsured, meaning users bear the risk of potential losses.
Metaplanet is launching a joint study to explore tokenized, Bitcoin-backed credit products that could reshape Japan's debt market. This initiative marks a shift from simply holding Bitcoin to actively using it as collateral for financial services.
CRYL, a Japanese financial services firm, is now offering loans backed by Bitcoin, allowing individuals and businesses to borrow up to $6.2 million. This marks a significant step in integrating Bitcoin into traditional lending markets in Japan.
Metaplanet is teaming up with JPYC and Progmat to create bitcoin-backed digital credit products, aiming to establish efficient, 24/7 credit markets in Japan. This could make borrowing and lending more accessible and faster for consumers and businesses.
Japanese companies are increasingly buying Bitcoin and XRP to diversify their cash reserves as the yen weakens. SBI VC Trade reports over 2 million registered accounts, driven by corporate demand.
SBI Holdings' acquisition of Bitbank for $289 million highlights a trend of consolidation in Japan's crypto market as regulatory reforms reshape the industry. This move is seen as a bet on regulated scale in a rapidly evolving digital asset landscape.
SBI, a major Japanese financial group, is buying Bitbank for $289 million, forming the country's biggest crypto exchange. The deal expands SBI's crypto ecosystem, including trading, stablecoins, and blockchain services.
Japan's financial regulator cleared the U.S. dollar-backed token as a new category of payment instrument, letting SBI VC Trade offer it to institutions and retail. RLUSD remains small, at about $1.7 billion.
SBI Group has introduced JPYSC, Japan’s first stablecoin backed by a trust bank. For now, it’s only available to SBI VC Trade account holders while regulators clarify its status.
A Japanese corporate pension fund with about 1,200 participating small and medium-sized businesses plans to allocate roughly 1% of its assets to crypto, according to Nikkei.
Metaplanet is buying Siiibo Securities for $13.1 million, gaining a securities license to offer Bitcoin investment products in Japan. This move positions Metaplanet as a key player in the country's Bitcoin financial ecosystem.
Metaplanet has bought Siiibo Securities for $13 million to create Bitcoin yield products, targeting Japan's massive $7.4 trillion household savings market. This move comes as Japan transitions from a deflationary to an inflationary economy.
Japan’s Lower House reportedly passed a bill that would bring crypto under the country’s financial instruments framework, potentially opening the door to ETFs and lower tax treatment.