Japan is preparing to overhaul its cryptocurrency tax rules by introducing a flat 20% levy on trading gains, a move that would place digital assets on the same footing as stocks and other mainstream investments.
Key Takeaways:
Japan plans to tax crypto gains at a flat 20%, matching the rate applied to stocks and investment funds. Crypto income would move into a separate tax category under the 2026 reform, split between national and local governments. Officials expect the change to boost trading activity and strengthen Japan’s digital-asset industry.The plan, first reported by Nikkei, signals a major shift in how the country treats crypto profits and could ease one of the biggest complaints among local investors.
Japan Plans Separate Tax Regime for Crypto Income in 2026 Reform
Under the proposal, income from cryptocurrency trading would no longer be lumped together with salaries or business earnings.
Instead, it would fall under a separate taxation scheme, with 15% of revenue directed to the central government and 5% allocated to prefectural and municipal authorities.
The reform is expected to be written into Japan’s 2026 tax policy outline, due later this year.
At present, profits from digital assets are taxed at progressive rates that can climb as high as 55%, depending on total income.
Critics say this structure discourages selling and distorts trading behavior, as investors try to avoid triggering steep tax bills.
By contrast, gains from equities and investment trusts are already taxed at a uniform 20%.
Lawmakers backing the proposal argue that lowering the burden could revive trading activity in the domestic market and ultimately lead to higher overall tax revenue.
They also see the reform as a way to encourage innovation across the broader technology sector, including companies building services around blockchain infrastructure.
The effort reflects a wider view in government that cryptocurrencies have evolved into a standard investment category rather than a fringe asset class.
Industry figures show strong participation at the retail level. Data from the Japan Virtual and Crypto Assets Exchange Association indicate there are around eight million active crypto accounts in the country, while spot trading volume in September alone reached approximately 1.5 trillion yen, or $9.6 billion.
If enacted, the change would mark one of the most crypto-friendly tax reforms by a major economy in recent years.
Japanese Asset Managers Build Crypto Fund Teams Ahead of Rule Shift
As reported, Nomura Asset Management has formed a cross-division task force to prepare product strategies for a post-regulatory-change environment, while Daiwa Asset Management is coordinating closely with ETF specialist Global X Japan.
Mitsubishi UFJ Asset Management and Amova Asset Management are also evaluating fund lineups for both retail and institutional investors.
Still, practical challenges remain. Asset managers must determine pricing benchmarks, ensure they can acquire crypto quickly enough to match investor flows, and put robust custody and security systems in place. The volatility of digital assets also looms large.
Meanwhile, Japan is preparing a major reset of its crypto rulebook, moving to treat digital assets as financial products subject to insider trading laws and to lower the tax burden on profits.
The Financial Services Agency is drafting measures that would cover 105 cryptocurrencies listed domestically, including Bitcoin and Ethereum.
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