Cryptocurrency Industry Hits 10 Million Accounts, But Still Struggles for Mainstream Adoption

The cryptocurrency industry has reached a milestone of 10 million trading accounts in Japan, but despite its technical potential, it still hasn't had a significant impact on daily life. At a recent panel session at WebX 2026, industry experts discussed the reasons behind this lack of mainstream adoption.

The panelists pointed out that corporate adoption has fallen short of expectations, with many companies struggling to implement blockchain technology due to practical constraints such as heavy paperwork and legacy systems. Kazuo Miura, an executive principal at Simplex, explained that while blockchain has ample potential, its use cases have been limited by the slow pace of digital transformation in companies.

The industry also cited regulatory burdens and a lack of services that consumers can directly feel as major obstacles to widespread adoption. Tomohiko Kondo, head of SBI VC Trade, noted that the market's foundation is steadily expanding, but growth has been hindered by repeated hacking incidents and subsequent regulatory tightening.

The panelists agreed that blockchain is likely to become an invisible infrastructure, boosting operational efficiency behind the scenes of services rather than being a technology directly seen by consumers. They forecast that stablecoins and improvements in user experience will be key variables determining mainstream adoption over the next 1 to 2 years.