News Summary

• Japan’s Cabinet has approved amendments to the Financial Instruments and Exchange Act (FIEA) to treat cryptocurrencies as financial instruments.
• The change will treat them like stocks and bonds, reflecting their growing role as investment assets.
• The bill also introduces insider trading prohibitions, mandatory annual disclosures for issuers, and stricter enforcement measures.
• If passed during the current Diet session, the reforms are expected to take effect in fiscal 2027.Japanese investors held an estimated 5 trillion yen, roughly $33 billion, in crypto assets by the end of 2025.