Japanese Government and Bank of Japan Initiate Immediate Settlement of Bonds and Stocks Using Blockchain

The Japanese Government and the Bank of Japan have commenced the development of a system that allows for the immediate settlement of funds for bonds and stocks, available 24/7. According to the Nikkei on the 26th, a study group involving the Financial Services Agency, the Ministry of Finance, the Bank of Japan, and financial institutions will be established this summer, with a plan to compile a maintenance schedule by early 2027. Although blockchain (distributed ledger) based pilot tests have been conducted previously, this marks the first time a concrete timeline towards implementation has been established.