Japanese financial institutions launch bitcoin mortgage loans with a maximum amount of US$6.2 millio

Japanese digital asset lending platform CRYL launches regulated Bitcoin mortgage product

Japanese digital asset lending platform CRYL recently launched a regulated Bitcoin mortgage product that allows borrowers to obtain legal tender without selling Bitcoin. The new product is open to individuals and businesses, with a maximum loan limit of 1 billion yen (approximately US$6.2 million), with Bitcoin as collateral.

According to CRYL\'s announcement in PR Times, loan amounts range from approximately US$62 million to US$6.2 million, with annual interest rates of 3.5% to 7%. Borrowers need to provide a mortgage rate of 40% to 60%, and the loan term is one year. Funds can be used for a variety of expenses, including tax payments, corporate financing and property purchases.

Core Points

CRYL\'s Bitcoin mortgage loan allows borrowers to obtain yen liquidity without liquidating bitcoin, up to 1 billion yen. New products are priced at an annual interest rate of 3.5% to 7%, and mortgage rates are set between 40% and 60%. The loan term is one year, and in most cases a one-time repayment structure is adopted, with principal and interest paid together when due.

Japan\'s regulated crypto mortgage market is currently small, but the launch of the product has intensified competition with existing service providers. Other Japanese companies are also exploring Bitcoin\'s role in a wider range of credit products, although some initiatives are still in the research stage.

How CRYL\'s Bitcoin Mortgage Works

CRYL positions this service as a third path for Bitcoin holders, providing an additional option to simply holding or selling Bitcoin. According to information released by the company, applicants must go through a review process to receive financing-an important limitation for users who expect an accessible lending experience.

Although CRYL promotes the product as a way to obtain yen liquidity, its structure includes core protections common to mortgages. Borrowers are required to provide a Bitcoin mortgage rate of 40% to 60%, and a one-year loan term means that repayments are concentrated rather than monthly installments.

The company also said that most loans are repayable in a one-time manner, with principal and interest due after one year. For users, this is critical to cash flow planning: the benefits of not selling Bitcoin borrowings may be offset by the requirement to have funds ready for repayment at maturity.

Japan\'s Regulated Crypto Mortgage: Benchmarking with Fintertech

The launch of CRYL enters a market that already has at least one mature player. In 2020, Fintertech, a joint venture between Daiwa Securities Group and Credit Saison, launched a similar concept: customers can borrow Bitcoin or Ethereum as collateral to obtain fiat currency loans.

Fintertech currently has an annual interest rate of 4% to 8%, a mortgage rate of 50%, and a minimum borrowing amount of 5 million yen (approximately US$31,000). In contrast, CRYL advertises a higher maximum loan limit and a lower minimum limit, but a narrower range of collateral: CRYL\'s products only use Bitcoin as collateral, rather than accepting both Bitcoin and Ethereum.

A clear sign of the maturity of Japan\'s loan infrastructure is distribution channels. In October 2025, Daiwa Securities began promoting Fintertech\'s digital asset mortgage loans to clients through its branches across Japan. This distribution expansion is significant because it can lower the threshold for mainstream customers who prefer face-to-face banking channels over full digital registration.

Fintertech is 80% owned by Daiwa Securities Group and 20% owned by Credit Saison, which gives it an advantage in connecting traditional finance with crypto mortgages.

Why Bitcoin mortgage loans attract attention

Japan\'s interest in Bitcoin mortgage loans is no longer reflected in a single product. While CRYL and Fintertech focus on mortgages, other companies are also exploring how to use Bitcoin to support broader credit structures.

Last week, Metaplanet Securities, which is associated with yen stablecoin issuer JPYC and tokenization infrastructure provider Progmat, announced a study exploring using Bitcoin as collateral or credit enhancement for digital corporate bonds and other blockchain credit instruments. The companies said the effort is still in the research stage and no decision has been made on the issue.

This difference is important. The implementation path for mortgages like CRYL is clearer because the borrower and repayment obligations are relatively straightforward. In contrast, using Bitcoin to enhance or secure corporate bond frameworks may require additional legal, operational and risk management design work-and therefore still in the \"research\" stage.

Still, the launch of CRYL highlights one practical direction: In Japan, Bitcoin is increasingly seen as not just an asset to be held, but also a source of liquidity that can be transformed into daily financial needs-such as taxes, corporate expenses or real estate purchases-while still retaining exposure to fluctuations in the Bitcoin price.

What should borrowers focus on next

As CRYL now offers one-year, bitcoin-only mortgages with clear mortgage rates and one-time repayment mechanisms, the top question facing borrowers is: How will demand evolve compared to Fintertech\'s longer-running Bitcoin/Ethereum mortgage products? Readers should focus on whether pricing will tighten over time, how underwriting standards will develop, and whether competition will expand from the lending space to more complex credit products that use Bitcoin as a structured credit support.