Mark Piano, Director and Consultant at Horizons Global, joins Bitcoin.com News to discuss the future of yen-backed stablecoins, Japan’s evolving crypto regulations, and how legal frameworks are shaping the next phase of Web3 growth.

In this episode, Mark explains why Japan’s regulatory clarity could become a major advantage for blockchain builders, and how yen stablecoins may unlock new opportunities in tokenization, DeFi, and cross-border finance. He also breaks down the role of offshore structures, including Cayman foundation companies, and why they’ve become a standard for Web3 projects globally.

From Bitcoin’s early real-world use cases to the lessons learned from the DAO hack, this conversation explores how law, infrastructure, and innovation intersect in the crypto industry.

Topics include: stablecoins, Japan crypto regulation, Web3 infrastructure, tokenization, DeFi, offshore finance, Cayman foundations, Bitcoin adoption, and global crypto markets.

Chapters:

00:00 – Introduction

01:08 – Bitcoin Utility in Myanmar (No ATMs)

02:30 – The DAO Hack & Becoming a Crypto Lawyer

03:45 – Moving to the Cayman Islands

04:50 – Why Cayman Became a Crypto Hub

06:05 – What Are Cayman Foundation Companies?

06:45 – Why Ownerless Foundations Matter in Web3

08:00 – Onshore vs Offshore Structures

14:13 – Directors’ Fiduciary Duties Explained

16:33 – Why Mark Is in Japan

17:18 – Yen Stablecoins & Tokenization Opportunities

19:58 – Offshore Stablecoin Issuance21:09 – Institutional vs Retail Market Access