Nikkei | Crypto

SBI will give out vouchers that can be redeemed for Bitcoin, Ether or XRP through SBI VC Trade, linking bank savings with the group’s crypto exchange arm. SBI Shinsei Bank will reportedly launch a service that rewards deposit customers with cryptocurrency exchange vouchers based on their account balances. According to a Nikkei report, customers will receive vouchers equal to 20% of their interest payments, in addition to their yen-denominated interest. The vouchers can be exchanged for Bitcoin (BTC), Ether (ETH) or XRP within a specified period.  Customers would need to open an account with SBI's crypto exchange arm, SBI VC Trade, to redeem the vouchers. Read more

Bitflyer trading spiked even as Japan’s Nikkei tumbled, while Korea and Taiwan equities joined the broader Asian selloff.

Japan’s financial regulator is weighing rule changes that could allow crypto assets to qualify for ETFs, signaling a possible shift in retail access. Japan’s financial regulator is weighing potential rule changes that could pave the way for cryptocurrency exchange-traded funds (ETFs), with local media reporting that 2028 is being discussed as an early target. According to a report by Nikkei, citing people familiar with the matter, Japan’s Financial Services Agency plans to amend its regulatory framework to allow crypto to be included as eligible ETF assets alongside stronger investor-protection mechanisms.  Major financial groups, including Nomura Holdings and SBI Holdings, are among the first companies expected to develop crypto-linked ETF products, Nikkei reported. Read more

Mitsubishi UFJ, Sumitomo Mitsui and Mizuho Financial Groups aim to create a shared framework for stablecoin issuance and transfer, according to a story in Nikkei.

Japanese regulators are working to ban insider trading on crypto in the country, according to a report from Nikkei.