Key Takeaways
What’s Driving Japan’s Renewed Interest in Crypto?
Rising investor interest, discussions about tax cuts for crypto profits and hopes for simpler trading rules have boosted confidence in Japan’s digital asset market.
How big is the Japanese crypto market right now?
Japanese investors’ crypto holdings reached a record ¥5 trillion ($33 billion) in July, with more than 5 million users, which is about 4% of the population.
As the US tightened its grip on crypto regulation, Japan charted a different course, driven by innovation and growing investor interest.
From launching new crypto products to expanding leveraged trading, Japanese exchanges and financial companies are to confiscate this moment amid growing optimism about regulatory easing.
The Japanese crypto profits
That said, Japanese investors’ crypto holdings rose above a record ¥5 trillion ($33 billion) in July. It showed renewed confidence in digital assets, despite previous currency hacks in 2014 and 2018.
With discussions underway to ease taxes on crypto profits and relax trading limits, the Japanese market seemed poised for its boldest phase of growth yet.
Satoshi Hasuo, representative director and executive officer of exchange Coincheck, said:
“There are about three times as many people with brokerage accounts as crypto accounts, so there is still a significant opportunity. Then we need to think about how we can win these people over.”
CJ Fong, Asia Pacific GM at GSR, also noted an increase in discussions with Japanese exchanges and financial companies to boost liquidity in digital assets.
This growing activity signals Japan’s renewed drive to reclaim its place as a leading crypto hub, fueled by global momentum under President Trump’s pro-crypto stance.
Noriyuki Hirosue, CEO of exchange Bitbank, reiterated the same, adding:
“The Trump administration has pushed the Japanese government and regulators to adopt a friendlier approach to cryptocurrencies so that Japan does not fall behind.”
Rising crypto adoption in Japan
In fact, a recent report from Chainalysis arranged Japan ranks 19th among the top 20 countries in global cryptocurrency adoption this year.
The Japan Financial Services Agency (FSA) continued to refine these rule updates, which are expected to be reviewed by parliament and possibly adopted in 2026 or 2027.
Until then, Japan’s crypto revival is accelerating thanks to key partnerships and innovation.
For example, Coincheck’s partnership with Mercari has brought cryptocurrency to millions of casual users, increasing Mercari’s account count to 3.4 million by mid-2025, accounting for more than a quarter of Japan’s total.
Meanwhile, SBI VC Trade is expanding leveraged trading and exploring USDC lending and crypto ETFs as regulators consider allowing banks to offer crypto services directly.
This indicates that Japan is poised to launch the world’s largest regulated stock market in 2026, led by SBI Holdings.
Growth so far
Japan’s cryptocurrency user base is growing rapidly, with over 5 million users, representing 4% of total users population. The country is projected to achieve a turnover of $2 billion in the crypto market by 2025. This growth underlines Japan’s increasing adoption of digital finance.
User penetration is expected to increase to 15.26% by 2026. This trend positions Japan as a benchmark for tokenized investing.
Moreover, Japan integrates blockchain financing with sustainable Bitcoin [BTC] mining. This initiative aims to: balance the power grid, transforming cryptocurrency from mere speculation into a tool for energy efficiency and modern finance.
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