Japanese Senator: stablecoin prioritized over CBDC prudence, encryption tax rate may be reduced to 20%

[Golden Finance] Golden Finance reported live that on August 25, at the WebX2025 conference held in Japan, Japanese Senator Satsuki Katayama clearly expressed a cautious attitude towards Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC), and her belief that stablecoins are an important entry point for the popularization of the encryption industry.

She pointed out that there are concerns in the international community regarding the privacy and surveillance risks of CBDC, and there are also voices in Japan questioning its decentralization attributes. The House of Representatives has even proposed to ban related explorations. Currently, CBDC is still in the research phase in Japan and has not yet entered the commercial promotion stage. Japan is more inclined to prioritize the development of stablecoins.

Currently, the younger generation in Japan is the main holder of encryption assets. She pointed out that Japan is promoting the classification adjustment of cryptocurrencies, planning to shift them from "miscellaneous income" into the regulatory scope of the Financial Instruments and Exchange Act, aiming to reduce the maximum tax rate from 55% to 20% (in line with the United States). Currently, it needs to negotiate with multiple parties, striving to finalize the plan by the end of the year. If the adjustment of the cryptocurrency tax rate is implemented, the application of stablecoins in daily transactions may further popularize, while CBDC is not a priority in the short term. She also revealed that Japan had previously collaborated with institutions such as the European Central Bank to research CBDC, but progress has been slow. In the future, the direction will be determined based on market demand and technological maturity.

Satsuki Katayama has extensive political experience and has conducted in-depth research in the financial sector. She has held positions such as the chairman of the Liberal Democratic Party's Financial Investigation Committee and plays a key role in promoting discussions on Japan's financial policy and the regulation of cryptocurrency. She currently serves on the Senate's Justice and Audit Committees, continuously participating in the decision-making on financial policy and regulatory issues.