Yen Weakness Drives Institutional Demand for Bitcoin and XRP

Japanese Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama announced that Tokyo and Washington are coordinating on measures to slow the yen's decline. The currency has been trading around 160-162 per dollar, a level not seen in roughly 40 years.

Katayama met with US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on May 12, 2026, specifically to discuss currency coordination following yen intervention measures. Japan has spent approximately $63.5 billion on past yen interventions.

Japanese corporations are hedging against the yen's weakness by investing in Bitcoin and XRP through SBI VC Trade, one of Japan's prominent crypto exchanges. Over 2 million business accounts had been registered by early July 2026.