Share this article

Digital Yen Now 'Top Priority' for Japan Central Bank, Says Senior Official

The comments mark a shift in priority for Japan as it seeks to counter the economic threat from regional rival China.

Updated Sep 14, 2021, 9:37 a.m. Published Jul 29, 2020, 11:32 a.m.
shutterstock_1576034410

As pressure mounts to catch up with rival China, a Bank of Japan (BoJ) official has said digital currencies are a "top priority."

STORY CONTINUES BELOW
Don't miss another story.Subscribe to the Crypto Daybook Americas Newsletter today. See all newsletters

  • Speaking to Japanese news outlet The Asahi Shimbun, Takeshi Kimura, departmental director-general, described the digital yen as a chief concern for the central bank.
  • The BoJ has been experimenting with a central bank digital currency (CBDC) but has so far said there are no plans to launch one.
  • The government said this month the launch of a digital yen would be considered as part of this year's legislative agenda.
  • A proposal from the ruling Liberal Democratic Party in June said China's global lead in CBDC development could become a national security threat.
  • Senior Japanese lawmakers have been calling on the government to step up research since February.
  • The Philippine central bank has also commissioned research for a CBDC, Governor Benjamin Diokno confirmed Wednesday. Results will be due sometime next month.

See also: Bank of Japan Forms New Team to Explore Central Bank Digital Currency

More For You

Protocol Research: GoPlus Security

GP Basic Image

What to know:

  • As of October 2025, GoPlus has generated $4.7M in total revenue across its product lines. The GoPlus App is the primary revenue driver, contributing $2.5M (approx. 53%), followed by the SafeToken Protocol at $1.7M.
  • GoPlus Intelligence's Token Security API averaged 717 million monthly calls year-to-date in 2025 , with a peak of nearly 1 billion calls in February 2025. Total blockchain-level requests, including transaction simulations, averaged an additional 350 million per month.
  • Since its January 2025 launch , the $GPS token has registered over $5B in total spot volume and $10B in derivatives volume in 2025. Monthly spot volume peaked in March 2025 at over $1.1B , while derivatives volume peaked the same month at over $4B.

More For You

Asia Morning Briefing: BTC Steadies Around 90k With Liquidity Drained and a Fed Cut Fully Priced In

Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell

QCP notes participation has collapsed while Polymarket sees a shallow easing path, putting the focus on guidance and cross central bank signals.

What to know:

  • Bitcoin remains around $90,000 as thin year-end liquidity leads to volatility and range-bound trading.
  • Traders expect a shallow easing path from the Fed, with more focus on guidance than the anticipated rate cut.
  • Global market movements are influenced by diverging central bank policies and macroeconomic signals.