JAPAN MOVES TO TREAT BITCOIN LIKE STOCKS Japan’s lower house has approved landmark legislation that would bring Bitcoin and other digital assets under the same legal framework as traditional securities. The proposal cuts the maximum tax on crypto gains from 55% to a flat 20%, matching stocks and bonds, while opening a pathway for regulated crypto ETFs and broader institutional participation. The bill would classify cryptocurrencies as financial instruments under Japan’s Financial Instruments and Exchange Act (FIEA), extending securities-style rules to the crypto market, including insider trading restrictions. The legislation also significantly increases penalties for unregistered crypto sellers, raising the maximum prison sentence from 3 years to 10 years. Japan Exchange Group has indicated crypto-linked ETFs could begin listing as early as next year if the regulatory framework is finalized. The bill now heads to the upper house. If approved, it would mark one of the most significant crypto regulatory reforms in a major economy, lowering taxes, enabling ETFs, and bringing digital assets further into the traditional financial system.