Highlights:
- Japan may cut crypto tax from 55% to 20%.
- Japan’s financial regulator proposes classifying cryptocurrencies as financial assets and advocates for tax reform.
- Japan’s crypto market is rapidly growing, attracting major investments.
The Japanese government plans to cut the maximum tax rate on crypto transactions from 55% to a flat 20%. This adjustment aims to address investor concerns and simplify the taxation of digital currencies in Japan.
Crypto taxation: The #Japanese government is considering changing the current maximum tax rate of 55% for cryptocurrencies to a unified 20% tax rate in response to investor feedback.
— MartyParty (@martypartymusic) September 3, 2024
The Financial Services Agency (FSA) outlined this proposal in an August 30 request for tax reform, part of a broader review of the fiscal code for 2025. Japan’s financial regulator underscored the importance of classifying virtual currencies as financial assets, potentially making them viable investment options.
FSA wrote:
“Regarding the tax treatment of cryptocurrency transactions, cryptocurrency should be treated as a financial asset that should be an investment target for the public. It is necessary to consider this issue from the perspective of whether it should be treated as such.”
Japan’s Crypto Tax Landscape
According to crypto accountants TokenTax, crypto profits in Japan are taxed as miscellaneous income, ranging from 15% to 55%. The top rate of 55% applies to earnings exceeding 200,000 Japanese yen ($1,377), though it can vary based on the individual’s income tax bracket. Meanwhile, profits from stock trading are taxed at a maximum rate of 20%. Corporate holders of crypto assets face a flat 30% tax rate on their holdings at the end of the financial year, regardless of whether they have realized any profits from sales.
The proposed changes would relieve both individual and corporate investors, creating a more favorable tax environment for crypto. Government ministries submit tax reform requests to the ruling party, which then forwards them to a tax system research committee and the national legislature for review. The reform becomes law only if both houses of the Japanese government approve it: the House of Councilors and the House of Representatives. Japan’s crypto industry advocates have long advocated for a tax regime revision.
In 2023, the Japan Blockchain Association (JBA) formally urged the government to reduce the tax burden on crypto assets. Their proposals included implementing a flat 20% tax rate and allowing a three-year loss carryover deduction to promote sector growth. Despite these efforts, there have been no concrete policy changes to date.
Japan’s Growing Crypto Market
Japan’s crypto usage is projected to grow rapidly, with the daily number of crypto traders increasing from 350,000 to approximately 500,000 by the end of the year, according to a Bitget study. This growth would position Japan’s market size between that of Turkey and Indonesia, and roughly two-thirds the size of South Korea’s market.
“Japan, with its high awareness for crypto, is a dynamic and rapidly evolving landscape,” said Gracy Chen, CEO of Bitget. She noted that Japan’s exciting opportunities and current trends make it an ideal environment for new technologies and widespread adoption. Recently, Japanese tech giant Sony Group expanded into the crypto market by acquiring the firm Amber Japan.
This proposed tax reduction positively changes Japan’s stance on cryptocurrencies. It seeks to establish a more favorable tax environment for investors and foster the growth of the country’s crypto industry.