Japan’s crypto tax bill clears Lower House, heads to Upper House with 20% flat rate

Japan just took its biggest step toward becoming a serious crypto-friendly economy. On June 11, the country’s Lower House passed a bill that reclassifies digital assets as financial instruments, a move that would cut capital gains taxes on crypto from a punishing 55% to a flat 20%.

The bill now heads to the Upper House, where approval is widely expected. If enacted, the new tax rate would take effect in 2028, giving Japan one of the more competitive crypto tax regimes among major economies.

From payments to financial instruments

Japan’s current crypto framework regulates digital assets under the Payment Services Act. The new legislation moves oversight to the Financial Instruments and Exchange Act, known as FIEA, treating crypto like stocks and bonds.

The most immediate and impactful change is the tax cut. Japan’s current progressive tax system can hit crypto gains at rates up to approximately 55%. Under the new framework, investors would pay a flat 20%, identical to what they’d owe on stock market gains.

The legislation also introduces loss carryforward provisions. Under current rules, if you lose money trading crypto one year and make it back the next, you still owe taxes on the gains. The new system would let investors offset prior losses against future profits.

Crypto ETFs on the horizon

With digital assets reclassified as financial instruments, platforms like those operated by Japan Exchange Group could begin listing crypto ETFs as early as 2027.

Japan already has more than 13 million crypto accounts. About 70% of those accounts hold less than ¥7 million, roughly $43,600, indicating a heavily retail-skewed market.

Teeth in the new rules

New disclosure requirements and insider trading rules bring crypto markets closer to the compliance standards expected of traditional financial markets. The penalties for violations include fines of up to ¥10 million and potential prison sentences of up to ten years for unregistered trading activities.

What this means for investors

The ruling Liberal Democratic Party’s strong electoral performance gave it the mandate to push through reforms that had been in discussion since a 2025 proposal. With LDP control of both chambers, passage through the Upper House is considered a formality by most observers.

Japan’s current 55% peak rate has been widely cited as a reason why domestic trading volumes haven’t matched the country’s otherwise strong tech adoption. A 35-percentage-point reduction fundamentally changes the risk-reward calculus for every Japanese investor considering a crypto allocation.

If crypto ETFs launch in 2027 and the lower tax rate kicks in during 2028, Japan could see institutional product availability followed by retail tax relief in consecutive years.