Japan Eyes 2028 Bitcoin ETF Launch, Personal Investments Expected to Drive Inflows

Huo Xing Finance reports that, on July 23, according to the Nikkei Asian Review, Japan is expected to launch a Bitcoin ETF as early as 2028. With the amended Financial Instruments and Exchange Act bringing crypto assets under financial product regulation, the Financial Services Agency plans to revise rules related to investment trusts, allowing funds and ETFs to treat crypto assets as primary investments. Several asset management firms are already considering participation. Institutional interest in crypto assets in Japan is rising: a survey by Nomura Holdings and Laser Digital found that approximately 79% of institutional investors and family offices plan to invest in crypto assets within the next three years. However, unlike U.S. Bitcoin ETFs, which are primarily driven by institutional capital, Japan’s institutional investors are relatively smaller in scale, and household financial assets remain heavily weighted toward cash. As a result, retail investor capital may become the primary source of funding. Analysts estimate that Japan’s Bitcoin ETF could attract up to ¥3 trillion in inflows by fiscal year 2028.