Japan’s Web3 sector is entering a faster growth cycle in 2026, according to a press release from TEAMZ. Traditional financial institutions are expanding their work across RWA, security tokens, and 24/7 tokenized trading platforms, while policymakers are signaling a more supportive stance toward digital assets. At the same time, talk around crypto ETF access in Japan is becoming more prominent.
The release says Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama recently voiced support for bringing crypto asset trading mechanisms into established market infrastructure such as securities and commodity exchanges. Referencing the U.S. crypto ETF model, she backed a path for BTC and ETH to enter mainstream investment channels through a compliant framework. Separate media reports cited in the release also say Japan is considering cutting the top crypto gains tax rate from 55% to 20%, closer to stock taxation, while building a stronger regulatory and investor protection structure.
Corporate treasury strategies and institutional activity are both expanding
On the corporate side, the release highlights DAT, or Digital Asset Treasury, as an emerging theme. More companies are exploring digital assets on their balance sheets as reserves or as part of broader treasury strategy. The industry mix is also changing. Developer, research, and startup communities are growing steadily, and the market narrative is shifting away from speculative trading toward practical use cases and commercialization.
Against that backdrop, TEAMZ Web3 / AI SUMMIT 2026 announced new event details. Katayama and Democratic Party for the People leader and House of Representatives member Yuichiro Tamaki are confirmed to speak. TEAMZ describes Katayama as a long-time observer of financial system reform and industrial restructuring, while Tamaki brings administrative experience across Japan’s Finance Ministry, Foreign Ministry, Financial Services Agency, and Osaka Regional Taxation Bureau.
The summit is widening from Web3 into AI and moving to Happo-en
TEAMZ said the 2026 edition will expand beyond core Web3 themes and place stronger focus on AI. This year’s theme is “Tradition Meets Tomorrow”. The summit will be held at Happo-en, a Japanese garden venue with a 400-year history, instead of a conventional exhibition setting. Organizers said the venue will be used to present the intersection of blockchain and AI in a setting shaped by traditional Japanese aesthetics.
The first speaker lineup includes figures from both global and Japanese markets, such as Subash of Tether, Michael Terpin of Transform Ventures, Nick DiSisto of Trust Wallet, Takatoshi Shibayama of Ledger, Genki Oda of JVCEA, Sota Watanabe of Startale Group, Tomohiko Kondo of SBI VC Trade, Ken Kodama of EMURGO, and Mai Furukawa of XRPL Japan. The list also extends into legal services, AI, capital, and infrastructure.
All 10 title sponsor slots are sold out, with backing from three industry groups
TEAMZ also said the summit’s highest partnership tier has fully sold out, with all 10 title sponsorship slots taken. Confirmed title sponsors include XRP, Cardano, SBI VCT, Startale, EMURGO, AAC, and Envo. Organizers added that more sponsorship and exhibition partnerships are still being developed, with Web3 and AI companies from multiple countries expected to gather in Tokyo for product showcases and ecosystem collaboration.
The event’s distribution network is also broadening. TEAMZ said it has more than 100 media, community, VC, and support partners. Named media partners include Cointelegraph Global, CoinPost, bitcoin.com, BlockBeats, Foresight News, PANews, Jinse Finance, and BlockTempo. VC and investment partners listed include Draper Associates, Dragonfly, Blockchain Capital, Wintermute, Hyperithm, NGC Ventures, and SevenX Ventures. Japan’s three major industry bodies — JCBA, JVCEA, and JBA — will continue their official support in 2026.
According to the official event details, TEAMZ Web3 / AI SUMMIT 2026 is scheduled for April 7-8, 2026 at Happo-en in Tokyo, with more than 130 speakers and over 10,000 expected attendees.