CRYL is offering Bitcoin-backed loans to individuals and businesses as Japanese firms expand the use of BTC in lending and credit markets.
Japanese lender CRYL has launched Bitcoin-backed loans of up to 1 billion yen ($6.2 million), allowing customers to borrow cash without selling their BTC.
The company said on Thursday that borrowers can access loans ranging from 1 million yen ($6,200) to 1 billion yen ($6.2 million), with annual interest rates between 3.5% and 7%. The loans require borrowers to pledge Bitcoin worth 40% to 60% of the loan value and have a one-year term. Funds can be used for expenses such as taxes, business investment and real estate purchases.
The launch adds to Japan’s growing market for crypto-backed lending. In 2020, Fintertech, a joint venture between Daiwa Securities Group and Credit Saison, introduced Bitcoin- and Ether-backed loans of up to 500 million yen (about $3 million). CRYL’s new product offers a higher borrowing limit and a lower minimum loan size, although it accepts only Bitcoin as collateral.
CRYL said the service gives Bitcoin holders another option besides holding or selling their assets. Borrowers must pass a screening process, and most loans require repayment of both principal and interest in a single payment after one year.
Bitcoin-backed lending grows in Japan
Crypto-backed lending has been available in Japan for several years, led by Fintertech. The company currently offers loans to individuals and businesses with interest rates of 4% to 8%, a 50% loan-to-value ratio, and a minimum loan amount of 5 million yen (about $31,000).
The service reached a wider audience in October 2025, when Daiwa Securities began referring customers at its branches across Japan to Fintertech’s crypto-backed loan products.
Meanwhile, Japanese firms are exploring broader ways to use Bitcoin in financial markets. On Friday, Metaplanet Securities, yen stablecoin issuer JPYC, and tokenization platform Progmat said they are studying the use of Bitcoin as collateral or credit support for digital corporate bonds and other blockchain-based credit products.
The companies said the project is still in the research stage, and no bond issuance has been approved.
Featured image from: cointelegraph.com