FSA

Japan

2026-09-01 10:06:27

Japan's FSA Warns Unlicensed Crypto Exchange IZAKA-YA Operator

The Japanese Financial Services Agency (FSA) issued a warning on September 1 to Hong Kong-based Izakaya Limited, operator of the IZAKA-YA crypto exchange, for allegedly operating an unregistered cryptocurrency exchange business targeting Japanese residents via the internet.

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Japan

2026-08-26 10:46:47

Japan studies blockchain system for round-the-clock securities cash settlement

Japan is considering a blockchain-based settlement system that would allow cash legs of stock and Japanese government bond trades to be completed immediately at any hour of the day. According to a Wednesday report by Nikkei, the Financial Services Agency, the Ministry of Finance, the Bank of Japan and private financial institutions plan to launch a study group this summer to examine how the infrastructure should be built. The group is expected to map out the structure of the blockchain network, assign responsibilities between public bodies and financial institutions, and produce a development plan by early 2027. If the proposal wins formal approval, the system could start operating in the early 2030s. Under the proposal, part of the deposits that banks keep in current accounts at the Bank of Japan would be turned into digital tokens for use on the blockchain in interbank settlement. The move is aimed at speeding up settlement compared with Japan’s current timetable, where regular equity trades settle on T+2 and domestic government bond trades settle on T+1.

960

Japan

2026-08-26 08:27:44

Japan launches tokenized deposit interbank settlement trial with 43 participants

A large-scale verification project for interbank settlement using tokenized deposits, or TD, began on Aug. 20 in Japan with support from the Financial Services Agency’s FinTech Proof-of-Concept Hub. The trial brings together 43 companies, including DCP, GMO Aozora Net Bank and Abeam Consulting. Thirteen banks, including Resona Bank and Bank of Yokohama, are participating directly, while 21 more have joined as observers. The project will test whether blockchain can support 24/7/365 real-time gross settlement, or RTGS, for bank-to-bank payments. It will compare two settlement structures, the TD lead bank model and the TD-SC linked model, and assess them in terms of legality, usefulness and feasibility. The verification will also examine whether the framework could open new business opportunities and reduce settlement costs and risks. The effort comes as the Bank of Japan has signaled that it is considering tokenized central bank money, while Japan’s Cabinet Office has stated that it is moving ahead with on-chain finance policies.

1130

Japan

2026-08-26 00:02:46

Japan plans 2026 study group for blockchain-based settlement infrastructure

Japan’s Financial Services Agency, Ministry of Finance, the Bank of Japan and financial institutions plan to set up a study group in the summer of 2026 to advance next-generation payment and settlement infrastructure built on blockchain, according to Nikkei. The group is expected to produce a concrete development plan by early 2027. The initial focus will be on government bond and stock transactions, with the stated goal of enabling round-the-clock instant settlement of both cash and securities. Nikkei said that while Japan has previously run multiple blockchain trials in financial applications, this would mark the first time the government and the central bank have set a clear timetable for the practical introduction of related infrastructure.

990

Japan

2026-08-07 08:55:53

Japan FSA Moves to Unify Cybersecurity Report Formats, Including for Crypto Asset Exchanges

Japan's Financial Services Agency (FSA) has published a partial revision to its Comprehensive Supervision Guidelines for Major Banks, etc., a move reported by CoinPost. The proposed amendment would standardize cybersecurity incident report formats across 17 regulatory fields, a group that includes crypto asset exchange service providers. Under the revised regime, affected operators would file using a single common template. The draft also introduces a new “Common Format for Other Cyberattack Incidents,” which complements the existing dedicated formats for DDoS attacks and ransomware. Together, the three formats form a reporting system that distinguishes among the main incident categories. A transitional arrangement is in place: until the end of March 2027, operators that are not designated as social infrastructure providers may continue to use the old report forms rather than the new template. The FSA is inviting comments on the draft revision and will accept submissions from interested parties until September 7, 2026.

1960

Japan

2026-08-07 05:34:58

Japan FSA, Police Jointly Push JVCEA for 11 Anti-Fraud Measures at Exchanges

Japan's Financial Services Agency (FSA) and the National Police Agency have sent a joint letter to the Japan Virtual Currency Exchange Association (JVCEA), demanding that crypto exchanges strengthen anti-fraud protections, ChainCatcher reported, citing CoinPost. The letter outlines 11 specific requirements, including pre-registration of withdrawal addresses, stronger transaction monitoring, and stricter identity checks at account opening. Exchanges would also be required to impose withdrawal limits for a set period after users deposit fiat or purchase crypto assets. The move comes as investment scams and “pig-butchering” fraud spread rapidly on social media, with criminals increasingly using crypto accounts to move illegal funds. The FSA suggests exchanges set withdrawal caps based on customer risk levels and transaction purposes, freeze or restrict accounts immediately upon detecting suspicious activity, and improve intelligence sharing with police. System upgrades that cannot be implemented quickly may be phased in. Separately, the FSA has formally established a “Crypto Assets and Stablecoins Division” to oversee related regulation.

1900

Bitget

2026-08-03 12:13:54

Bitget to Exit Japan and Close Remaining User Positions by End of 2026

Crypto exchange Bitget said it will stop offering trading services to residents of Japan and plans to close all remaining positions tied to affected users by Dec. 31, 2026. The platform has already stopped accepting new registrations from users in Japan as of Sunday. Existing users who believe they were incorrectly identified as Japanese residents must complete level-two identity verification and submit proof of address by Nov. 1. If they fail to do so, their accounts will be placed into close-only mode starting that day. Under that restriction, users will not be able to open new positions or access spot trading, futures trading, copy trading, trading bots, or yield products, though deposits and withdrawals will still be available within the platform’s stated limits. Bitget said it will forcibly close any remaining positions on Dec. 31 and suspend bank card services, while asset withdrawals will remain available afterward. The exchange said the move is meant to comply with local Japanese regulatory requirements. The report also noted that Japan recently passed legislation reclassifying crypto assets as financial instruments, and unregistered platforms operating there could face fines of up to about $62,800 and prison terms of as long as 10 years.

1920

Japan crypto

2026-07-23 07:50:15

Japan’s Crypto Market Shifts Toward Institutions as Stablecoin and Disclosure Rules Tighten

Japan is reshaping its crypto market for institutional use, with stricter stablecoin issuance rules, stronger disclosure standards, and a proposed legal shift toward mainstream financial regulation.

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