A data-driven comparison of every crypto card that names Japan in its own terms, ranked by estimated net annual value after fees, with what each issuer asks of applicants.
Among cards that name Japan in their own terms, Ethena Pay Spend Card leads at roughly $240 a year net on $2,000 a month of spending, and Binance Japan Card is next at about $192. Ethena Pay's own Japan terms say Ethena Pay Ltd. is not registered with the FSA in any capacity, does not solicit Japanese residents, and that Japanese residents use the service on a reverse-solicitation basis. Most cards issued only in Japan are yen credit cards that pay rewards in crypto; three let you use crypto you already hold, either to repay the bill or to back the card.
The ranking answers one question: which card returns the most estimated value at $2,000 a month of spending, after fees, on the tier you get without staking or a paid upgrade. It is not a ranking of the best way to spend crypto you already hold, and only cards that name Japan in their own terms are listed.
Net values here include a foreign exchange fee where a card bills in a different currency from the one this guide assumes you spend in, using the fee the provider discloses to cardholders; a card with no disclosed FX fee is counted without one.
Best forSpending straight from a wallet you control
Watchcashback capped at about $100/mo; a different rate applies above $2500/mo of spend; modelled as billing in USD, so local-currency spending pays 1% FX (counted in the net value); rewards arrive as points or a volatile token, not cash; full identity verification required
Best forEarning rewards without pre-funding the card
Watchrewards arrive as points or a volatile token, not cash; full identity verification required
Best forEarning rewards without pre-funding the card
Watchfull identity verification required
Best forSpending straight from a wallet you control
Watchcashback capped at about $50/mo; modelled as billing in USD, so local-currency spending pays 2% FX (counted in the net value); full identity verification required
Best forEarning rewards without pre-funding the card
Watchfull identity verification required
Want the full list? Jump to the full comparison table →
Every card in our database that is issued only in Japan is a credit card issued with a Japanese card company and paired with a crypto exchange or app. Four of them, the bitFlyer Credit Card, SBI Visa Crypto Card, Binance Japan Card and Zaif Card, pay rewards in crypto and nothing more. Binance Japan states that its card bill cannot be paid in crypto.
Three go further. The Bitbank EPOS CRYPTO Card can repay the bill from the holder's bitbank account in bitcoin, which Epos Card and bitbank describe as a first in Japan based on their own research as of 27 April 2026. The HashPort Card pays 0.3% in the JPYC yen stablecoin and has applicants register a wallet address for stablecoin repayment. The Slash Card is a USDC-collateralised Visa card, but its pre-registration page says beta pre-registration has ended and asks applicants to wait for a future announcement.
Multi-region cards that name Japan make up the rest of the list. Kite lists Japan among the countries where it is live, and Fasset lists Japan among the countries where it can issue virtual cards. Ethena Pay's own Japan terms say Ethena Pay Ltd. is not registered with the FSA in any capacity, does not solicit Japanese residents, and that Japanese residents use the service on a reverse-solicitation basis.
Of the cards ranked above, Ethena Pay Spend Card and Solid Card are multi-region cards billing in US dollars, so the foreign exchange fee each discloses is already counted against it here.
The bitFlyer, Bitbank EPOS, SBI, Binance Japan and Zaif cards each require an account at the partner exchange before you apply. None of the issuers' card pages states a minimum length of stay. What each one publishes:
On most of these cards the reward arrives as crypto, but the mechanics differ. Zaif returns 1.2% on payments at the Zaif exchange and 0.8% elsewhere, in BTC, ETH or XYM as the customer chooses. The Bitbank EPOS card pays 0.5% in crypto rather than Epos points. The HashPort Card pays 0.3% in JPYC. Annual fees and foreign-currency fees for every card are in the comparison table below; several of the Japanese issuers charge 3.85% on purchases in a foreign currency, which matters if you spend abroad.
Under the Payment Services Act, nobody may run a crypto-asset exchange business in Japan without registration. That business means buying, selling or exchanging crypto, intermediating those trades, managing customers' money for them, or holding crypto for others. As of 1 September 2026 the FSA register listed 27 providers, including bitFlyer, Bitbank and Zaif. The register is published as a PDF in Japanese and an English version. The FSA states that listing does not mean it guarantees the value of, or recommends, the crypto assets a provider handles.
Registration covers the exchange, not the card. Issuing a credit card requires a separate registration with the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry under the Installment Sales Act. The Japan-only cards here are issued by card companies such as APLUS, Life Card and Epos Card, with a partner exchange or app handling the crypto.
The rules are changing. An act passed on 15 July 2026 and promulgated on 23 July 2026 moves crypto-asset rules from the Payment Services Act to the Financial Instruments and Exchange Act, while stablecoins and prepaid cards stay under the Payment Services Act (FSA bill summary). Most of it takes effect on a date set by Cabinet Order within one year of promulgation.
JPYC, the yen stablecoin the HashPort Card pays rewards in, is issued by JPYC Inc., which was registered as a funds transfer service provider on 18 August 2025. JPYC describes the token as an electronic payment instrument under the Payment Services Act and began issuing it on 27 October 2025.
Seven cards in our database are issued only in Japan: the bitFlyer Credit Card, Bitbank EPOS CRYPTO Card, SBI Visa Crypto Card, Binance Japan Card, HashPort Card, Slash Card and Zaif Card. All seven are credit cards. Some multi-region cards also list Japan, including Kite, which names Japan among the countries where it is live, and Fasset, which lists Japan among the countries where it can issue virtual cards. Slash Card is not taking applications: its pre-registration page says beta pre-registration has ended and asks applicants to wait for a future announcement.
None of the issuers' card pages states a minimum length of stay. The bitFlyer, Bitbank EPOS, SBI, Binance Japan and Zaif cards each require an account at the partner exchange first. bitFlyer lists a residence card among the ID it accepts from customers living in Japan of any nationality, and SBI VC Trade requires foreign nationals to submit a residence card or Special Permanent Resident Certificate showing their current address. The HashPort Card page lists only a My Number Card or a driver's license as accepted ID. Approval is then decided by the card issuer, such as APLUS, Life Card or Epos Card.
The National Tax Agency has not published guidance on crypto received as a card reward, and its nearest items point different ways: crypto received through mining, staking or lending counts as income at its market value when received, while points a company grants on purchases from itself are treated like a discount. The next step is settled. Selling, swapping or spending crypto counts as disposing of it, and the gain is in principle miscellaneous income, taxed together with other income at a top combined rate of just under 56%.
Not yet. The national 15% part of a separate 20% rate (15% income tax and 5% resident tax) was enacted on 31 March 2026. As set out in the tax reform outline, it covers transfers of specified crypto assets to registered crypto-asset trading businesses, from 1 January of the year after an amended Financial Instruments and Exchange Act takes effect. That act was promulgated on 23 July 2026 and takes effect on a date set by Cabinet Order within one year; no order fixing the date had been found when this guide was checked.
On some cards. When the holder chooses bitbank as the payment source, the Bitbank EPOS CRYPTO Card repays the bill from their bitbank account in bitcoin only. The HashPort Card has applicants register a wallet address for stablecoin repayment and rewards. Slash Card is a USDC-collateralised Visa card, though it is not taking applications. Binance Japan says its card bill cannot be paid in crypto. Repaying in bitcoin counts as disposing of that bitcoin for tax purposes.
Crypto exchanges operating in Japan must register with the Financial Services Agency, and bitFlyer, Bitbank and Zaif appear on its register. That registration covers the exchange business: buying, selling and exchanging crypto, intermediating those trades, and holding crypto or money for customers. Issuing a credit card is a separate business that needs its own registration with the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry. The FSA also states that listing does not mean it guarantees the value of, or recommends, the crypto assets a provider handles.
Every active crypto card that names Japan in its own terms, side by side, sorted by estimated net annual value.
| Card | Cashback | Annual Fee | Type | Region |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ethena Pay Spend Card | 4-5% AVAX | $0 | Credit | 48 countries (not US/EU/UK at launch) |
| Binance Japan Card | 1.6% BNB | ¥0 first year (¥1,650 after) | Credit | Japan |
| Zaif Card | 0.8-1.2% BTC/ETH/XYM | ¥1,650 from year 2 (free year 1; waived on ¥100,000 annual spend) | Credit | Japan |
| Solid Card | 3-5% USDC | $0 | Credit | 105 countries (30+ US states) |
| Bitbank EPOS CRYPTO Card | 0.5% BTC/ETH/ASTR | ¥0 | Credit | Japan |
| bitFlyer Credit Card | 0.5-1% BTC | 0 yen (Standard) / 22,000 yen (Platinum, free first year) | Credit | Japan only |
| SBI Visa Crypto Card | 0.5-1.3% BTC/ETH/XRP | ¥0 first year | Credit | Japan |
| HashPort Card | 0.3% JPYC | ¥0 (¥2,500 issuance) | Credit | Japan Only |
| Slash Card | 0% | Free first year, then 20 USDC | Credit | Japan |
| Hyperbeat Card | 0.2-1% WHYPE | $0 | Credit | Americas/APAC/Africa/Europe (35 US states) |
| Avici Card | 0% | $0-75 | Credit | Americas/APAC/Africa (31 US states) |
| Exa Card | 0% | $0 | Credit | US (31 states)/LATAM/APAC/Africa/UAE |
| Fasset Card | 0% (OWN Points) | $0 (9.99 USDT one-time activation) | Debit | 36 countries (APAC/Africa/Caribbean; UAE and GCC excluded) |
| Kite Card | 0-5% (categories only) | $0 | Debit | 9 APAC countries (NOT US) |