- Japan’s largest online brokerages, SBI Securities and Rakuten Securities, are developing crypto investment trusts internally.
- The products are expected to include Bitcoin and Ethereum exposure through ETFs and investment trusts.
- Japan’s Financial Services Agency is working toward formally allowing crypto inside investment trust products by 2028.
- Major firms including Nomura, Daiwa, SMBC, and Mizuho are also exploring crypto investment products.
- The shift could dramatically simplify crypto access for Japanese retail investors through regular brokerage accounts.
Japan’s Biggest Brokers Expand Into Crypto Investing
Japan’s two largest online brokerage firms are preparing to launch in-house crypto investment products as the country moves closer toward integrating digital assets into traditional finance.
According to Nikkei, SBI Securities and Rakuten Securities are both building crypto investment trust products internally instead of relying on external issuers.
The products are expected to include investment trusts and ETFs tied to major cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum.
SBI plans to handle both product development and distribution through subsidiaries under its own corporate group, while Rakuten intends to integrate crypto investment products directly into its smartphone brokerage platform.
Japan Moves Toward Full Crypto Financial Integration
The expansion comes as Japan’s Financial Services Agency continues working on regulatory reforms designed to formally classify cryptocurrencies as approved assets inside investment trusts.
Current proposals aim to revise the country’s Investment Trust Act by 2028, while a separate law could bring crypto under the same financial regulatory framework as stocks and bonds as early as fiscal year 2027.
That shift would make crypto investing significantly more accessible for mainstream retail users, allowing exposure through existing brokerage accounts without requiring separate exchange accounts or self-custody wallets.
Traditional Finance Firms Prepare for Crypto Demand
The report showed that Japan’s largest financial institutions are increasingly preparing for broader crypto adoption.
Nomura, Daiwa, SMBC, and Asset Management One are all reportedly studying potential entries into crypto investment products once regulations are finalized.
SBI previously stated it aims to gather roughly 5 trillion yen, or around $32 billion, in crypto-related investment products within three years after launch.
The company has also explored Bitcoin-XRP ETFs and hybrid gold-crypto investment products pending approval.
Japan Could Become a Major Crypto ETF Market
Japan is increasingly positioning itself as one of the next major global markets for regulated crypto investment products.
Tokyo Stock Exchange CEO Hiromi Yamaji recently suggested crypto ETFs could launch in Japan as early as 2027 if legal reforms and tax adjustments move forward on schedule.
The development would place Japan among a growing list of countries integrating crypto exposure into traditional brokerage and retirement systems.
Unlike direct crypto trading, investment trusts offer financial firms exposure to management fees and distribution revenue while avoiding some of the risks tied to holding digital assets directly on balance sheets.
