Renowned Bitcoin maximalist and JAN3 CEO Samson Mow met with Junichi Kanda, Parliamentary Vice-Minister of the Cabinet Office.
The two discussed the potential for Bitcoin in Japan, local and global adoption as well as implications of strategic Bitcoin reserves.
Japan is known to be a crypto-friendly country. The Payment Services Act defines “crypto-assets” as payment methods that are not denominated in fiat currency and can be used to pay unspecified persons. There are no restrictions on owning and investing in cryptocurrencies.
Additionally there are major investment companies, such as Metaplanet (also known as the japanese MicroStrategy), which build investment strategies around cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin.
According to a survey from financial services firm Nomura Holdings and its digital asset arm Laser Digital, 54% of institutional investors in Japan plan to invest in cryptocurrencies.
The study approached 547 investment managers, including institutional investors, family offices and public-service corporations.
Despite this positive outlook, Japan is still hesitant to approve Bitcoin and other crypto ETFs.
Nevertheless, the country is known to be open-minded toward new technologies and innovation, with crypto, blockchain, and AI continually reshaping its economic landscape. This progressive stance fosters an environment where emerging technologies can thrive, encouraging investment and participation in the evolving digital economy.
The US Producer Price Index (PPI) for January revealed a rise of 3.5%, surpassing December’s 3.3%, signaling persistent inflation concerns.
Metaplanet, often likened to Japan’s MicroStrategy, has secured 4 billion yen through zero-interest bonds.
The cryptocurrency market appears to be moving in a new direction, with attention shifting from highly speculative memecoins to established layer-1 networks.
A man from Alabama has admitted to hacking the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) X account in a scheme that led to a false Bitcoin ETF approval announcement.