The Japanese government recently sent an important signal. At the New Year opening ceremony of the Tokyo Stock Exchange, senior officials explicitly stated that 2026 will be designated as the "Digital Year" to promote this initiative. This is not just talk — they emphasized the core role of the exchange in advancing the adoption of digital assets and blockchain assets.

What is the key? The government wants ordinary citizens to truly benefit from digital assets, and the core idea is to rely on the exchange's infrastructure to accelerate this process. This indicates that Japan has recognized that policies alone are not enough; there must be a solid trading infrastructure to support it.

It is worth noting that the officials also specifically mentioned the U.S. experience with ETF promotion. This comparison is very meaningful — U.S. ETFs have brought crypto assets to a broader range of institutions and retail investors, and Japan is clearly learning this approach. From the government’s perspective of establishing 2026 as the "Digital Year," Japan is expected to take substantial actions in blockchain asset circulation and adoption. The emphasis on exchange infrastructure suggests that both regulatory frameworks and market environments are being prepared to pave the way for this goal.