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Japanese Minister of Finance Satsuki Katayama has committed to providing formal assistance to integrating digital assets into the nation’s existing financial infrastructure, positioning stock and commodity exchanges as one of the primary entry points for increasing citizens’ exposure to crypto-related services. Her statements, made as part of a New Year’s speech at the Tokyo Stock Exchange, align with a progression of regulatory measures already being implemented to integrate cryptocurrencies into the Japanese financial landscape. Katayama referred to exchanges as key institutions of the interaction between investors and digital, blockchain-based assets.  Exchanges positioned as access points for digital assets During her speech, Katayama highlighted progress in the United States, where crypto ETFs were presented as regulated investment products. The source emphasized the utilization of traditional market structures to provide exposure to digital assets. Currently, Japan does not offer domestically traded crypto ETFs, and Katayama has not provided a date or policy on when it plans to launch this. Katayama also linked the assimilation of digital assets to broader economic issues. She described 2026 as a turning point in the fight against structural challenges that had remained unaddressed over the years, including deflation as a policy of fiscal action and investment in growth-oriented sectors. Regulatory reclassification and tax reforms The Japanese regulatory bodies have already taken action in accordance with Katayama’s position. In November, the Financial Services Agency ruled to reclassify the 105 most popular cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin and Ether, as financial products under existing laws. The tax policy has also not been left out. Cryptocurrency income is taxed as miscellaneous income in Japan, and any gains are taxed at a marginal tax rate ranging from 15% to 56%. The FSA has been lobbying to modify the provisions to tax crypto gains under a separate category, as stocks are taxed at a…

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Filed under: News - @ January 5, 2026 2:21 pm