Japan Adds Shiba Inu to Green List Amid Regulatory Shift

Japan's financial regulators have added Shiba Inu to the Green List, making it one of the first memecoins from a G7 country to receive this level of recognition.

The move puts Shiba Inu on the same regulatory track as Bitcoin and Ethereum, which are also on the list. To qualify for the Green List, Shiba Inu had to meet specific benchmarks set by Japanese regulators, including being listed on at least three JVCEA-registered exchanges and passing reviews of transparency and technological soundness.

The inclusion of Shiba Inu on the Green List is part of a larger regulatory shift in Japan's crypto market. The country's National Diet passed a law reclassifying crypto assets as financial instruments, which will be governed by the Financial Instruments and Exchange Act (FIEA). This change includes expanded disclosure duties for exchanges and insider-trading restrictions.

The tax rate on crypto gains is still pending, with a proposed flat rate of 20.315% expected to take effect in either 2027 or 2028. The exact start date depends on Cabinet timing rather than a fixed calendar.