Shiba Inu Gains Japan Access, No ETF Yet
Japan's parliament passed legislation on July 15 that brings crypto assets closer to securities-style oversight. This change moves crypto under the Financial Instruments and Exchange Act (FIEA), which regulates stocks. The amended framework strengthens disclosure, trading, and intermediary rules.
The law does not approve an exchange-traded fund (ETF) for any individual asset, including Shiba Inu. However, it provides a possible legal foundation for regulated crypto funds.
Shiba Inu appears on the Japan Virtual and Crypto Assets Exchange Association's Green List, which identifies assets widely handled by association members. The list requires handling by at least three member companies, a trading history of at least six months, no special conditions imposed by the association or another reason making its inclusion unsuitable.
The September 1 list shows nine member companies handling Shiba Inu, compared to 29 for Bitcoin and 28 for Ether. Green List inclusion can simplify parts of an exchange's review process but does not create automatic ETF eligibility.
Mercari expanded retail access to Shiba Inu in June by adding it through Coincheck on its mobile application. This expansion does not mean Mercari has issued a product or applied for an ETF.