Startbahn Inc. (Headquarters: Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo; CEO: Taihei Shii; hereinafter “Startbahn”) announces that a contribution by its CEO, Taihei Shii, has been featured in a New Year special project by Atarashii Keizai, a leading Japanese media platform focused on blockchain and the crypto asset industry.

The special project, titled “What’s Ahead for the Web3 Industry in 2026?”, brings together perspectives from 129 industry leaders and experts who are actively shaping the blockchain and crypto asset ecosystem in Japan and globally. In his contribution, CEO Shii outlines how 2026 represents a year of further horizontal expansion and real-world implementation of infrastructure that Startbahn has been developing across physical assets such as art and their digital counterparts through NFTs.

He also highlights recent progress in Japan’s regulatory environment, particularly the gradual approval and institutionalization of stablecoins. According to Shii, these developments are creating conditions in which officially recognized stablecoins can circulate more smoothly, enabling greater transparency and usability through public blockchains.

Furthermore, the contribution touches on the growing role of stablecoins in next-generation infrastructure, including their use by AI agents, and expresses expectations that adoption will continue to expand as both users and systems increasingly leverage blockchain-based settlement and automation.

Startbahn will continue to engage with these emerging trends and work alongside industry participants to further expand the practical use and potential of blockchain technology through its infrastructure initiatives.

■ Article Link

The article is available here

■ Contribution Overview

Project title:
“What’s Ahead for the Web3 Industry in 2026?”

Media outlet:
Atarashii Keizai

Contributor:
Taihei Shii, CEO, Startbahn Inc.

Key points:

• 2026 as a year of horizontal infrastructure expansion and real-world implementation

• Progress in Japan’s stablecoin regulation and legal frameworks

• Increased circulation of officially recognized stablecoins

• Broader adoption of public blockchains for transparency and usability

• Growing use of stablecoins by AI agents and next-generation systems

■ About Startbahn Inc.

Startbahn Inc. is a company dedicated to providing the technology required by artists and all those involved in art and culture, with the goal of enabling a society in which value is properly preserved and passed on over time.
The company develops and operates Startrail, a blockchain infrastructure that supports authenticity, trust, and long-term value succession for cultural assets.

Official website:
https://startbahn.io/

■ About Startrail

Startrail is a blockchain infrastructure for cultural assets led by Startbahn.
It enables long-term management of authenticity, trust, and provenance by recording information related to exhibitions, transactions, restoration, and other events that contribute to an asset’s value.
Due to the nature of blockchain technology, this information cannot be deleted, altered, or duplicated.

Startrail supports a wide range of asset types, including physical artworks such as paintings and sculptures, digital works based on images, video, and audio, as well as installations and other formats.

Official website:
https://startbahn.io/startrail

■ Media Contact

Startbahn Inc.
Public Relations
pr@startbahn.jp