Japan's Financial Services Agency announces strengthened cybersecurity guidelines for virtual currency exchanges, proposing three major pillars to protect investors.

Golden Finance reports that on April 4, Japan’s Financial Services Agency officially released on April 3 the “Working Guidelines on Strengthening Network Security for Crypto-Asset Trading Business,” which apply to virtual currency exchange operators and other institutions. These guidelines were formulated based on 18 public feedback submissions received during the period from February to March 2026, when the draft was open for comments, and will place the protection of investors’ assets as the top priority.
In terms of specific measures, the guidelines aim to comprehensively enhance the level of security safeguards through three tiers: each exchange’s “independent prevention,” industry self-regulatory organizations’ “mutual assistance and coordination,” and the regulatory authorities’ “public support.” At present, criminals’ attack methods are becoming increasingly covert. They not only steal private keys (such as mnemonic phrases), but also frequently use social engineering attacks and invade third-party outsourcing institutions, among other methods. In response, the guidelines emphasize that relevant institutions must strengthen their capability for systematic response.