Shiba Inu Joins Japan’s Elite ’Green List’ – Now Ranked Alongside BTC and ETH
Japan’s Financial Services Agency (FSA) just dropped a bombshell: Shiba Inu cracked its coveted 'Green List,' putting the meme coin on equal regulatory footing with Bitcoin and Ethereum. The move signals a seismic shift in how regulators view altcoins—and sends a clear message to crypto skeptics.
From meme to mainstream: SHIB’s regulatory coup
The FSA’s list—a tight circle of pre-approved digital assets—now includes the dog-themed token that started as a joke. No special pleading, no exceptions. Just cold, hard compliance with Japan’s notoriously strict crypto rules. Take that, 'serious' projects still stuck in regulatory limbo.
What this means for the crypto zoo
While finance traditionalists clutch their pearls (and their bags of yen), the market’s already voting with its wallet. Liquidity pools are shifting, exchanges are fast-tracking SHIB pairs, and that 0.00001% of institutional investors who dabble in memecoins? They’re suddenly paying attention. Because nothing screams 'mature asset class' like regulatory approval for an asset whose mascot is a Shiba Inu dog. The irony isn’t lost on us—but the profits won’t be either.
Tax proposal could boost SHIB investment
The Financial Services Agency (FSA) has also proposed a significant tax reduction for cryptos on the green list, lowering the levy from 55% to 20%. shiba inu holders could see a substantial decrease in taxes owed on profits if the government signs the legislative proposal into law.
Calculations under the current rate WOULD see a trader who recently made $45,000 from SHIB face a tax bill of $24,750. If the proposed 20% levy is approved, that amount would drop to $9,000, a rather significant incentive for investors to buy SHIB.
“SHIB has officially joined Japan’s ‘Green List,’ standing beside BTC and ETH. A proposed tax drop from 55% → 20% could make this a huge catalyst,” wrote Shiba Inu’s official X account in celebration of the recognition.
The approval of SHIB followed an assessment by Japanese regulators, who verified the token’s compliance with specific standards like being listed on at least three licensed exchanges. Shiba Inu surpassed this requirement, appearing on eight licensed platforms after the trading firms vetted the token’s ecosystem.
Japan’s green list was established in 2022, made for streamlining the approval process for trusted tokens. However, final implementation of the new tax rates and related regulations is contingent upon approval during Japan’s fiscal year 2026 budget cycle.
Former Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba previously reiterated that cryptocurrency development is “extremely important” for the country. Japan could likely become a crypto-friendly jurisdiction by the end of 2026, competing with nations like Singapore, South Korea, and the special Chinese administrative city of Hong Kong.
Japan stock exchange concerned about DAT crypto companies
While the green list expands opportunities for tokens like SHIB, Japanese authorities are carefully monitoring corporate crypto activity. Japan Exchange Group Inc. (JPX), which operates the Tokyo Stock Exchange, is considering measures to restrict the growth of listed companies’ digital-asset holdings.
Sources familiar with the matter speaking anonymously to Cryptopolitan said JPX is leaning towards stricter backdoor listing rules and the requirement of fresh audits for firms investing heavily in crypto, but no final decisions have been made.
Since September, three listed companies have paused plans to acquire cryptocurrencies due to pushback from JPX, which cautioned them that fundraising could be restricted if financial firms try to pivot to become digital asset treasuries (DATs).
The bourse does not currently impose overarching rules against crypto accumulation but monitors companies “from a risk and governance perspective, with a view to protecting shareholders and investors,” a JPX representative said in an email.
Tokyo-listed Metaplanet Inc. is the country’s largest Digital Asset Treasury (DAT) operator, with over 30,000 coins in its possession, collected after it shifted its model from a hotel business to become the fourth-largest Bitcoin DAT worldwide in early 2024. The company saw its shares drop more than 75% from a June 16 peak, after a prior surge of around 420%.
Claim your free seat in an exclusive crypto trading community - limited to 1,000 members.
