PORTALBERITA.CO.ID - The Japanese Lower House formally passed a pivotal piece of legislation on Thursday, June 11, 2026, effectively bringing the regulatory framework for cryptocurrencies in line with that governing traditional stocks. This major legislative step, reported by Businesstimes, aims to expand legitimate access to digital assets while imposing a more robust compliance structure.
What this new framework entails is the reclassification of various cryptocurrency assets as formal financial instruments under Japanese law. This change mandates stricter trading protocols, introduces potentially lower taxation for certain assets, and paves the way for the introduction of crypto Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs) within the domestic market.
The impetus behind this significant policy shift stems from rising domestic demand for digital tokens, observed across both retail investors and established financial institutions throughout Japan. This trend has reportedly been amplified by more favorable political developments concerning crypto regulation occurring in the United States.
"We aim to foster more innovation by creating a sound trading environment," stated Masato Yoshizawa, a representative for the Financial Services Agency’s policy and markets bureau.
Masato Yoshizawa further clarified the government's intent behind the unified regulation, noting, "We’re not necessarily giving crypto a stamp of approval, but we’re aiming for healthy market growth."
The revisions to the Financial Instruments and Exchange Act will specifically impact capital gains tax for major tokens like Bitcoin and Ether, reducing the maximum rate from 55 percent to a uniform 20 percent, effective by 2028.
Koichi Kano, Japan head at Singapore-based crypto market maker QCP Group, commented on the tax implications, saying, "Would it be better if taxes were zero? Yes, but at least things are clear."
Kano highlighted the previous ambiguity in the market before this legislative unification, explaining, "Until now, crypto was like football — it was interpreted differently by different people. Now, we all know that we’re playing American football, and we all need a helmet."
Crucially, the updated legal structure introduces severe penalties for insider trading involving digital assets, aligning the fines and potential prison sentences with those applied to listed corporate securities.
