Blockstream’s move this week to open a new office in Tokyo in collaboration with Diamond Hands, Japan’s leading Bitcoin strategic consultancy, and Fulgur Ventures, a top investor in Bitcoin-first companies, comes at a pivotal moment.
With corporate Bitcoin adoption accelerating along with demand for layer-2 solutions and real-world asset (RWA) tokenization—both in Japan and across Asia—Blockstream is expanding its efforts to bring advanced Bitcoin infrastructure and institutional-grade self-custody solutions to a market uniquely positioned for Bitcoin’s next wave of growth.
Here’s the full breakdown on what makes Japan a high-priority market for Blockstream—and why establishing an on-the-ground presence is so important.
Japan’s Unique Bitcoin Landscape: A Market Ripe for Growth
Japan has long played a significant role in Bitcoin’s evolution, from being home to some of the earliest Bitcoin exchanges to pioneering regulatory clarity around digital assets. Today, the country is once again at the forefront of Bitcoin adoption, with financial institutions, corporations, and policymakers increasingly recognizing its potential as both a store of value and a foundation for next-generation financial infrastructure.
Japan’s thriving grassroots Bitcoin community makes the country even more uniquely positioned for growth, with the country boasting a strong developer ecosystem amid growing enthusiasm for Bitcoin-first solutions. All these elements create an environment primed for Bitcoin’s next wave of adoption—a wave that will require scalable infrastructure and trusted, Bitcoin-native solutions.
What Blockstream Brings to Japan’s Bitcoin Ecosystem
The Tokyo office will primarily serve as a hub for further expanding layer-2 adoption throughout Japan. This will allow Blockstream to take a more hands-on approach to helping businesses take advantage of both Lightning and Liquid as capable and scalable solutions for payments, asset issuance, and a broad array of financial services.
As more and more Japanese corporations and financial institutions seek compliant ways to issue digital assets, the Bitcoin-native framework offered by Liquid and Blockstream AMP in particular offers a highly secure and scalable infrastructure for these financial instruments, bridging traditional markets with Bitcoin.
As such, Blockstream intends to work closely with potential issuers to streamline the process of bringing all sorts of tokenized assets, from stablecoins to tokenized securities, to market. Through direct collaboration with financial institutions, regulators, and fintech innovators, Blockstream aims to facilitate a seamless transition to Bitcoin-based asset issuance, ensuring that Japanese enterprises have access to cutting-edge financial tools built on the most secure and decentralized monetary network.
Self-custody will be another key focus, as Blockstream promotes tools such as the all-new Jade Plus hardware wallet and its signature software wallet, Green, to empower individuals and enterprises with greater control over their Bitcoin holdings.
Beyond that, Blockstream is committed to strengthening Japan’s grassroots Bitcoin movement by fostering a thriving developer ecosystem. With a strong community of builders and open-source contributors already exploring Bitcoin-first solutions, Japan is uniquely positioned to play a leading role in advancing Bitcoin’s technical capabilities.
To further this aim, Blockstream will support local developers through bootcamps, hackathons, and educational programs aimed at deepening knowledge of layer-2s. By providing hands-on guidance and access to advanced Bitcoin infrastructure, Blockstream seeks to empower Japan’s next generation of Bitcoin engineers, ensuring they have the tools and resources to push the boundaries of what’s possible on Bitcoin.
Partnering with Local Experts: Why Diamond Hands and Fulgur Ventures?
A major pillar of Blockstream’s Japan strategy going forward will be collaboration with trusted local partners, Diamond Hands and Fulgur.
Leading Japanese Bitcoin strategic consultancy Diamond Hands is one of the country’s most influential players when it comes to Bitcoin advocacy and helping enterprises navigate the various complexities surrounding corporate adoption. The firm’s deep knowledge of Japan’s regulatory and financial environment will be instrumental in expanding adoption of Bitcoin and its second-layer protocols.
Fulgur Ventures, while not technically a Japanese company, is already a well-established player, boasting years of expertise investing in Bitcoin-focused companies, supporting Bitcoin infrastructure and financial applications. Their involvement signals a commitment to growing Bitcoin adoption in Japan from both a financial and an infrastructure perspective.
Looking Ahead: What’s Next for Blockstream in Japan?
With a dedicated presence in Tokyo, Blockstream is well-positioned from today to drive the next phase of Bitcoin adoption in Japan. The company will continue working closely with enterprises, exchanges, and financial institutions to integrate Lightning and Liquid into their operations, providing the infrastructure necessary for a Bitcoin-powered financial ecosystem.
Regulatory collaboration will also be a key focus, ensuring that Bitcoin innovation in Japan aligns with the country’s progressive policy environment. By engaging with policymakers and industry leaders, Blockstream aims to contribute to frameworks that support Bitcoin-first financial applications while maintaining the highest security and compliance standards.
Meanwhile, developer engagement will be an ongoing priority, with Blockstream providing the tools and resources needed for Japanese developers to push Bitcoin’s technical frontier forward.
As Japan cements its position as a hub for Bitcoin-first financial innovation, Blockstream’s expansion into Tokyo marks the beginning of a long-term commitment, both to the country and to the region. By embedding itself in the country’s Bitcoin ecosystem, Blockstream is not just supporting adoption but investing in a financial future that is, above all, secure, scalable and decentralized.
For updates on Blockstream’s work in Japan, follow us on X and LinkedIn, or visit our website: www.blockstream.com.
For further enquiries, please contact the Blockstream BD team at business@blockstream.com.