Quick Insights

  • Bitbank and EPOS Card, the fintech arm of Marui Group, launched the EPOS CRYPTO Card for Bitbank on April 27, Japan's first Visa credit card allowing monthly bills to be settled directly from a crypto exchange account.
  • Bitcoin is the only asset accepted for bill settlement at launch. When a user opts to pay in BTC, the required amount is automatically sold at Bitbank's prevailing rate and applied to the outstanding balance.
  • The card carries no annual fee and offers 0.5% monthly cashback in the holder's choice of Bitcoin, Ethereum or Astar, deposited directly into their Bitbank wallet. New cardholders also receive a 2,000 yen crypto sign-up bonus.

Bitbank, one of Japan's largest FSA-licensed crypto exchanges, has partnered with EPOS Card to launch what the companies describe as Japan's first credit card allowing monthly bills to be paid directly from a crypto exchange balance. The EPOS CRYPTO Card for Bitbank went live on April 27 on the Visa network and is available to any verified Bitbank account holder.

The mechanics are worth understanding precisely. Cardholders make purchases through standard Visa rails as normal. At the end of each billing cycle, they choose whether to pay their balance from a conventional bank account or from Bitcoin held in their Bitbank account. If they choose the latter, Bitbank automatically sells the required amount of BTC at the market rate and applies it to the bill. No manual steps are needed. The card cannot be used to buy crypto directly, keeping its purpose focused on spending rather than trading.

This Is a Credit Card, Not a Prepaid Product, That Distinction Matters

Japan has had crypto-linked prepaid cards before, including a Visa prepaid product launched by another issuer in September 2024. Bitbank's card is structured differently. It is a genuine credit card, meaning users spend first and settle later, with Bitcoin as the settlement currency rather than yen. That architecture sits within Japan's existing credit card regulatory framework rather than requiring a separate payments licence, which is part of why the product was able to launch through an established partner like EPOS Card, the fintech arm of Marui Group.

Under Japan's current tax rules, using Bitcoin to pay a credit card bill is treated as a disposal of the asset, making it a taxable event. Bitbank has disclosed this clearly in the card's terms, and holders will need to track the yen value of BTC at the point each payment is processed for their annual tax filings.

EPOS CRYPTO Card for Bitbank [Key Details]
  • Settlement: Bitcoin only at launch, sold automatically at Bitbank's rate at time of payment
  • Cashback: 0.5% monthly on all spending, paid in BTC, ETH or Astar (user chooses each month)
  • Annual fee: None
  • Network: Visa global payment network
  • Sign-up bonus: 2,000 yen in crypto for new cardholders, plus a usage bonus for spending 20,000 yen or more
  • Tax: Crypto bill settlement is a taxable disposal event under Japanese law

Seetan Kitney, President of Visa Worldwide Japan, publicly backed the launch, saying the card connects crypto with everyday payment experiences and that Visa will continue working with issuers to expand financial access. Binance Japan launched its own card earlier this year offering BNB cashback on spending, but Bitbank's product goes further by embedding Bitcoin as the actual settlement currency rather than a reward layer on top of a yen-settled card.

Bitbank has operated since 2014 and received its FSA licence in 2017. It has not reported a single security breach since founding, a record it cites as central to its positioning as Japan's most trusted exchange. Both Bitbank and EPOS said they plan to expand the range of cryptocurrencies supported for bill settlement beyond Bitcoin as the product matures.

Japan's broader regulatory environment around crypto is also evolving, with authorities working toward bringing cryptocurrency oversight under the Financial Instruments and Exchange Act, a shift that would bring the sector closer to the treatment applied to securities and could open further product categories for licensed exchanges.

Disclaimer: Nakamoto Daily provides information for educational and entertainment purposes only. Nothing published here constitutes financial, investment, or trading advice. Readers should conduct their own research and consult a qualified financial adviser before making any investment decisions.