Why Did Japan Put Shiba Inu on the Same List as Bitcoin and Ethereum?

Japan's financial regulators placed Shiba Inu (SHIB) on the same approved asset list as Bitcoin and Ethereum because the memecoin passed the Japan Virtual and Crypto Assets Exchange Association's (JVCEA) Green List screening, a compliance check covering transparency, liquidity, and exchange listings. 

The move made SHIB the first memecoin from a G7 country's regulator to receive this level of recognition, putting it under the same regulatory track as roughly 105 other digital assets now moving through Japan's financial reforms.

What Is Japan's Green List?

The Green List is a whitelist run by the JVCEA, the self-regulatory body that oversees Japan's licensed crypto exchanges. Created in 2022, it lets exchanges add pre-approved tokens without repeating a full individual review each time. Before SHIB's addition, the list held around 30 assets, including Bitcoin, Ethereum, XRP, Litecoin, and Polygon.

How Did Shiba Inu Qualify?

Getting on the Green List requires a token to clear specific benchmarks set by Japanese regulators. For SHIB, that included:

• Being listed on at least three JVCEA-registered exchanges (SHIB was already trading on eight)
• Passing reviews of transparency and technological soundness
• Meeting liquidity thresholds tracked by member exchanges

Once approved, SHIB became eligible for the same streamlined listing process that Bitcoin and Ethereum use across Japan's licensed platforms.

What Changed in Japan's Crypto Law Since Then?

Green List approval was one part of a larger regulatory shift. Japan's National Diet gave final approval on July 15, 2026, to an amendment moving crypto assets out of the Payment Services Act and into the Financial Instruments and Exchange Act (FIEA), the same law that governs stocks and bonds. This reclassifies Bitcoin, Ethereum, SHIB, and about 105 other tokens as financial instruments.

From Payment Rules to Securities-Style Oversight

Under FIEA, exchanges face expanded disclosure duties, and insider-trading restrictions now apply to crypto for the first time. Penalties for running an unregistered crypto business rose from a maximum three-year prison term to ten years. The FIEA framework is targeted to take full effect in fiscal year 2027.

The 20% Tax Rate Timeline Isn't Fixed Yet

A related but distinct measure, the 2026 Tax Reform Outline, proposes cutting crypto gains tax from a progressive rate reaching about 55% down to a flat 20.315% (15% national tax, 5% local tax, plus a 2.1% reconstruction surtax on the national portion). This would only apply to "Specified Crypto Assets" traded through FSA-licensed exchanges. 

The exact start date depends on Cabinet timing rather than a fixed calendar: if Cabinet enforcement of the FIEA rules lands within 2026, the tax change would begin January 1, 2027; if enforcement slips to 2027, it begins January 1, 2028. Most current reporting points to the later date as more likely. 

The reform also adds a three-year loss carryforward, something equity investors already had. Roughly 70% of Japan's 13 million-plus crypto accounts hold less than ¥7 million (about $43,600), so the retail investor base stands to benefit most directly once the rate takes effect.

How Is SHIB Trading Right Now?

As of late July 2026, SHIB trades around $0.0000046, with a market cap near $2.7 billion, placing it in the low-to-mid 30s by market capitalization depending on the tracker. 

The token has moved roughly 7% higher over the prior week as of July 29, part of a broader rally that crypto commentator David Gokhshtein noted alongside Dogecoin's gains in late July, calling the combined strength a positive signal for the wider memecoin sector.

Why This Matters Beyond SHIB

Green List inclusion doesn't guarantee price gains, but it does lower the regulatory friction for exchanges to list and support a token, and it puts SHIB's tokenomics and compliance record under the same scrutiny applied to established assets. 

For a market where memecoins are often dismissed as unregulated speculation, formal Japanese approval sets a documented precedent other regulators may reference.

Conclusion

Japan's regulators added Shiba Inu to the Green List after it met exchange, liquidity, and transparency requirements, placing it alongside Bitcoin and Ethereum under the country's compliance framework. 

Separately, Japan's Diet passed a law reclassifying crypto as a financial instrument, with a 20.315% flat tax rate still pending for either 2027 or 2028. SHIB currently trades near $0.0000046 with a market cap around $2.7 billion.

Resources

1. Report by CryptoRank: Shiba Inu makes Japan's 'Green List,' passing as a BTC, ETH-level cryptocurrency
2. Report by The Defiant: Japan's Lower House Passes Bill Moving Crypto Under Securities Law, Opening Path to ETFs and 20% Tax Rate
3. Report by TFTC: Japan's Diet Passes FIEA Amendment, Cuts Crypto Tax and Opens ETF Path
4. Report by Crypto.news: Japan moves to cut crypto tax to 20%: why it matters
5. Report by CryptoSlate: Japan passes the crypto law traders wanted but its 20% tax could still wait until 2028
6. Report by CryptoTimes: Japan Is One Vote From Bitcoin ETFs and a 20% Crypto Tax Cap
7. Report by Coinbase: Shiba Inu Coin (SHIB) Price USD Today, News, Charts, Market Cap