gumi Inc., a Japanese gaming and blockchain company, has partnered with SBI Group to launch SBI Crypto Fund I, with operations set to begin on August 1, 2026.

The fund targets approximately ¥3 billion ($18.3 million) in assets under management and will employ staking, hedging, and portfolio rebalancing as its core investment strategies. SBI Financial Services holds a 51% stake in the fund, while gumi's subsidiary gC Labs owns the remaining 49%. Daiwa Securities Group and Yamada Securities Group are among the participating investors. The fund will invest exclusively in Bitcoin and other major altcoins traded on recognized exchanges. The participation of established securities firms like Daiwa signals growing involvement of Japan's traditional financial institutions in digital asset products, a trend that has accelerated since spot Bitcoin ETFs launched in the United States in January 2024 and Hong Kong followed with its own approvals in April 2024.

gumi has been active in digital assets since at least 2018. As of April 30, 2026, the company's total cryptocurrency holdings were valued at approximately ¥14 billion ($86 million). gumi has stated its ambition to become Japan's largest XRP treasury company. SBI currently holds roughly 34% of gumi through a capital and business partnership established in 2022.

gumi has also established a dedicated division called "Neo Crypto" to consolidate all of its digital asset operations. The unit is designed to build operational expertise and position the company ahead of the potential approval of cryptocurrency ETFs in Japan.

Japan's Crypto Regulatory Overhaul

Japan's parliament has approved legislation that reclassifies digital currencies as financial instruments rather than merely payment tools. The amendments to the Financial Instruments and Exchange Act and the Payment Services Act are scheduled to take effect in 2027.

While the new framework opens the door for future spot Bitcoin ETFs, no such products have yet been approved. The Financial Services Agency has indicated it will proceed with developing a regulatory framework for crypto ETFs. Japan's cautious regulatory posture toward digital assets has been shaped in part by the 2014 collapse of Mt. Gox, then the world's largest Bitcoin exchange, which was based in Tokyo. The reclassification marks a significant shift from that legacy, aligning digital assets more closely with securities under Japanese law.

The legislation also significantly increases penalties for non-compliance. Operators of unregistered crypto businesses now face up to 10 years in prison, up from the previous three-year maximum. The maximum fine has been raised from ¥3 million (approximately $18,500) to ¥10 million. Stricter insider-trading rules have been introduced, and both crypto issuers and exchanges will be required to disclose more information to investors and the public.

Lawmakers also approved a plan to reduce the crypto tax rate from as high as 55% to 20%, though that change will not take effect until 2028. Under the revised structure, 15% of the tax revenue will go to the national government and 5% to local governments. The new rate would bring Japan's crypto tax treatment in line with the 20% rate already applied to stock market gains, a change long advocated by domestic industry groups who argued the previous disparity discouraged participation.

【お知らせ】
当社子会社の株式会社gC Labsを通じて、SBIファイナンシャルサービシーズ株式会社と共同で組成した暗号資産運用ファンド「SBI Crypto Fund Ⅰ」の運営を2026年8月1日より開始することを決定いたしましたので、お知らせいたします。

— gumi公式 (@gumi_pr) July 28, 2026

SBI VC Trade Surpasses 2 Million Registered Accounts

SBI VC Trade, the cryptocurrency exchange arm of Tokyo-based SBI Holdings, reported that its registered accounts recently surpassed 2 million, roughly double the 1 million accounts recorded in 2025. The company attributes the growth to increasing corporate demand for Bitcoin and XRP as businesses seek to hedge exposure to a weakening yen. Some companies are also distributing Bitcoin or XRP through shareholder benefit programs.

The account total spans both the VCTRADE and BITPOINT platforms, which were consolidated following SBI VC Trade's merger with BitPoint Japan in April 2026. The two brands are expected to fully integrate by the end of December 2026, a move the company says will reduce costs and standardize service levels.

Stablecoin offerings have also contributed to the platform's expansion. SBI VC Trade listed USDC in March 2025, describing it as Japan's first dollar-backed stablecoin listing. In June 2026, the exchange added Ripple's RLUSD alongside JPYSC, a yen-pegged token it characterized as the country's first trust-based yen stablecoin. The platform also began offering lending services against stablecoin holdings.

Japan's cryptocurrency market remains smaller than those of the United States and South Korea, due in part to its stringent regulatory environment. However, rising account numbers and growing corporate engagement in digital asset strategies indicate the market is gaining traction. The staggered implementation timeline — fund launches beginning in 2026, the reclassification framework taking effect in 2027, and the tax reduction following in 2028 — provides a phased pathway for institutional and retail participation to deepen as each layer of reform comes online.