Crypto Village Newsletter #45 - 9/15
Welcome back to our News Letter!
A huge thank you to all our new subscribers! This newsletter is brought to you by Crypto Village, where we share the latest updates on the Nishikigoi NFT project, Japanese local NFT initiatives, and much more.
The News of the Week:
"A New Way of Living and Building Communities with My Number Wallet"
This is the part 2 of a blog post series originally published in a Japanese magazine.Could “My Number Wallet” Transform Local Communities?
An Experiment in Yamakoshi
The use of Japan’s My Number Card isn’t just about making government paperwork easier. In recent years, a new initiative called My Number Wallet (or “MyNa Wallet”) has been gaining attention. The idea is simple but powerful: turn the My Number Card into a secure digital wallet where anyone can safely manage digital assets like cryptocurrencies, stablecoins, NFTs, and digital IDs.
Because blockchain is known for its strong security, it’s actually a perfect match with the My Number Card. That’s why, in November last year, an experiment for MyNa Wallet was launched in Yamakoshi, Niigata. (Just recently, the company behind it even announced a ¥200 million fundraising round!)
During the trial, people of all ages—from elementary school kids to folks in their 80s—got to try MyNa Pay, a service that lets you make payments using your My Number Card. Seeing an initiative like this happening in Yamakoshi felt really exciting. It also showed that the card isn’t just for government forms—it could become something that brings energy and new possibilities to local life.
Innovation for Everyday Life and Communities
The Yamakoshi trial highlighted that MyNa Wallet isn’t just another cashless payment tool—it could reshape how we live and connect with our communities. So what does the future look like?
1. Boosting Local Economies
One of the biggest hopes is that MyNa Wallet can strengthen regional economies. If towns create their own local digital currencies, money could circulate more effectively within the community. Tourists could pay for meals, buy souvenirs, or support local businesses with digital currency—and that money would keep fueling the local economy, creating jobs and new services. This could be a huge chance for rural revitalization.
2. Building New Communities
It could also spark a new kind of community. Take Yamakoshi’s idea of “digital villagers”—even if you don’t live there, MyNa Wallet could give you a way to stay deeply connected. Instead of a traditional resident registry, it’s more like becoming a “friend of the region.” People could donate in local digital currency or buy unique NFTs tied to the area, joining community life in new ways. For regions facing depopulation, this could open doors to fresh relationships and support.
3. Smarter, Faster Public Services
My Number Cards already provide trusted identity verification. Combined with MyNa Wallet, this could make government services more seamless. Imagine subsidies or disaster relief being delivered instantly as digital currency, right into your wallet—no long paperwork, no delays.
Challenges and Opportunities
Of course, adopting new tech means addressing challenges like privacy protection and top-level security. And more importantly, people need to feel comfortable and confident using it. Still, with moves like the iPhone integration of My Number Cards, digital services are becoming more accessible step by step.
For years, Japan has been criticized as “too strict with rules, too slow on innovation.” That’s why the iPhone integration and the MyNa Wallet initiative feel like important breakthroughs—examples of how we can push past old barriers.
So, what do you think about the potential of My Number Cards and MyNa Wallet? Could they be the key to a new era of community, economy, and connection?
Until next time!
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