Shiba Inu was included among six approved cryptocurrencies at Laser Digital Japan, a crypto investment company that has completed registration with Japan's Financial Services Agency (FSA).

On Aug. 23 (local time), blockchain outlet U.Today reported that Japan's FSA approved Laser Digital Japan's registration on Aug. 21.

Japan's FSA has issued a licence to a new crypto exchange for the first time in 4 years. In Japan, where listing and business regulations are strict, Laser Digital Japan passed a rigorous review. It selected 6 assets as priority support: bitcoin, ether, XRP, bitcoin cash (BCH), litecoin (LTC) and Shiba Inu.

The inclusion of Shiba Inu was possible because it was on the Japan Virtual and Crypto Assets Exchange Association (JVCEA) green list. Tokens on the green list can be listed by local platforms through a simplified process.

Retail adoption in Japan has also aligned with this trend. E-commerce giant Rakuten opened Shiba Inu trading to 44 million users and 5 million merchants around April and ran a large-scale token giveaway campaign and a physical prize event in June. Marketplace Mercari also began Shiba Inu trading through its unit Mercoin, based on 24 million monthly active users. This led to 4 million crypto accounts being opened, and 85 percent of newly acquired users had no experience investing in digital assets.

The key point is that Shiba Inu's distribution channels are widening toward institutions. Unlike existing retail-focused exchanges, Laser Digital Japan was designed to target institutional funds. The company plans to supply wholesale liquidity to local crypto platforms at an initial stage and then expand trading access to companies and investment funds.

This could also lead to a shift in Shiba Inu's standing in the Japanese market. Shiba Inu, previously seen only as a "meme coin", secured a regulated trading channel by being included among supported assets at an exchange operating under the local regulatory framework. The Shiba Inu side also assessed the decision as another step forward for "global expansion".

The case shows that Shiba Inu can be included in a limited pool of approved assets even in Japan, where regulation is strict. With its inclusion in an institutional liquidity supply system, the key question is whether access for Japanese companies and investment funds will actually expand going forward.

A new milestone for $SHIB in Japan. SHIB is one of six digital assets supported by Nomura-backed Laser Digital Japan following completion of its regulatory registration. Another step forward for SHIB’s global reach. おめでとう、SHIBARMY! pic.twitter.com/DpGjis8bS0