WebX2026 panel examines Japan's push into tokenized money market funds, RWAs and tokenized equities

WebX2026 featured discussions on Japan’s expanding blockchain-based finance agenda, including tokenized money market funds, real-world assets, tokenized equities and the prospects for a Bitcoin ETF, while another session focused on how the country’s major banking groups are approaching tokenized forms of money and on-chain finance. A panel moderated by Osaka Digital Exchange representative Hitoshi Mutsuro brought together speakers from BlackRock, Franklin Templeton and Securitize Japan to examine what is needed for institutional adoption and how tokenized traditional assets could connect with DeFi, framing the opportunity around a market described during the session as reaching JPY 300 trillion by 2033. A separate WebX2026 session said Bitcoin ETF legalization in Japan could be possible by 2028, citing the U.S. market as a benchmark where growth reached as much as $200 billion in roughly 2.5 years. WebX2026 also reported on a session featuring digital executives from Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group, Mizuho Financial Group and Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, where the discussion covered stablecoins, tokenized deposits, on-chain finance, dual-track strategies and how AI could reshape banking business models.