Japan has a clear and established regulatory framework for cryptocurrencies, primarily governed under the Payment Services Act (PSA) and the Financial Instruments and Exchange Act (FIEA). The Financial Services Agency (FSA) oversees crypto regulation, ensuring compliance and consumer protection.
| Status | Legal |
| Risk Score | 25/100 (Low Risk) |
| Region | asia pacific |
| Currency | JPY |
| Adoption Rank | #18 |
| Capital Gains (Personal) | 15% to 55% progressive income tax depending on income bracket |
| Capital Gains (Corporate) | 23.2% corporate tax rate applies to crypto gains |
| VAT on Crypto | No |
| Staking Tax | Taxed as miscellaneous income |
| Airdrop Tax | Taxed as miscellaneous income |
Cryptocurrency gains are taxed as income with progressive rates for individuals and corporate tax for companies. VAT does not apply to crypto transactions. Staking and airdrops are taxed as miscellaneous income, while mining income is treated as business income.
| Required | Yes |
| Regulator | FSA |
| Framework | Payment Services Act (PSA) and Financial Instruments and Exchange Act (FIEA) |
| Ease | medium |
| Cost (USD) | $200,000 - $1,000,000 |
Crypto exchanges and service providers must register with the Financial Services Agency (FSA) and comply with AML/KYC regulations under PSA and FIEA.
Registry: List of Registered Crypto-asset Exchange Service Providers in Japan — total registered: 56
| Name | License Type | Licensed Since |
| bitbank, inc. | Crypto-asset Exchange Service Provider | |
| bitFlyer, Inc. | Crypto-asset Exchange Service Provider | |
| Coincheck, Inc. | Crypto-asset Exchange Service Provider | |
| GMO Coin, Inc. | Crypto-asset Exchange Service Provider | |
| BACKSEAT Exchange Inc. | Crypto-asset Exchange Service Provider | |
| Binance Japan Inc. | Crypto-asset Exchange Service Provider | |
| BITPOINT JAPAN CO., LTD. | Crypto-asset Exchange Service Provider | |
| BitTrade Inc. | Crypto-asset Exchange Service Provider | |
| Btc Box Co., Ltd. | Crypto-asset Exchange Service Provider | |
| Coinbase Co., Ltd. | Crypto-asset Exchange Service Provider |
JFSA has issued business improvement orders to registered exchanges for compliance failures. In 2025, JFSA took action against unlicensed overseas exchanges soliciting Japanese users.
| Status | Research |
| Name | Digital Yen |
| Issuing Authority | Bank of Japan |
| Model | retail |
| KYC Required | Yes |
| Travel Rule | Yes |
| FATF Member | Yes |
| FATF Status | compliant |
| FATF Body | FATF |
| Suspicious-Activity Reporting | Yes |
Status: regulated
DeFi activities fall under existing financial regulations and are subject to oversight by the FSA, requiring compliance with AML and licensing rules.
Status: regulated
Stablecoins are regulated under the PSA and must comply with relevant licensing and consumer protection requirements.
Status: no_rules
NFTs are generally not regulated as crypto assets unless they have payment or investment characteristics. JFSA has indicated that unique, non-fungible digital items typically fall outside the Payment Services Act scope.
| Legal | Yes |
| Electricity Cost | $0.162/kWh |
| Renewable Energy | 22% |
| Infrastructure | good |
Mining is legal and regulated; electricity costs are relatively high compared to global averages. Infrastructure supports mining but is not a major global mining hub.
| Stability | stable |
| Sanctions | No |
| Corruption Index | 73/100 |
| Banking Access | open |
| Sanctions Program Active | Yes |
Risk Factors
Japan maintains a stable political environment with strong regulatory oversight. No international sanctions apply. Banking access for crypto firms is generally open but subject to strict compliance.
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Explore IT Services →Last reviewed: 2026-05-06 · Data source: Soken Crypto Legal Map
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