Securitize's Kobayashi Warns Japan Risks 'Losing' Without a ¥300 Trillion RWA Market【WebX 2026】

At the WebX 2026 conference, industry leaders from Securitize Japan, BlackRock, and Franklin Templeton discussed the urgent need for Japan to scale its RWA market to ¥300 trillion by 2033 to maintain global competitiveness. Eiichi Kobayashi of Securitize Japan warned that Japan's current public blockchain market is effectively zero, risking a significant loss of international standing as the global RWA sector approaches a projected ¥3,000 trillion. The panel highlighted the evolution of tokenized money market funds (MMFs), such as BlackRock's BUIDL and Franklin Templeton's BENJI, which offer 24/7/365 transferability and DeFi integration. Mitsunori Yuasa of Franklin Templeton demonstrated the practical utility of these assets by citing their recent use in a corporate M&A settlement. Despite these global advancements, panelists noted that domestic demand in Japan remains limited, with major securities firms struggling to identify corporate use cases. The discussion emphasized that transitioning from regulatory frameworks to active, real-world use cases is the critical challenge for Japan. Ultimately, the ability of Japanese institutions to adopt these blockchain-based financial products will determine the nation's trajectory in the rapidly expanding global RWA landscape.