Japan Rate Hike: Bitcoin’s Drop to 86K Tied to Japan’s Bond Shock

[Ben Graham]

Are we about to see a Japan rate hike and the beginning of a global recession? Bitcoin’s slide from 92,000 to 86,000 this week did not come out of nowhere.

Arthur Hayes argues the move was triggered by a sharp shift in Japan’s monetary stance, as the Bank of Japan signaled a possible December rate hike that strengthened the yen and squeezed risk assets.

 Arthur Hayes: “The carry trade unwind is here. A stronger yen means less fuel for the casino.”

$BTC dumped cause BOJ put Dec rate hike in play. USDJPY 155-160 makes BOJ hawkish. pic.twitter.com/lG47l5cbCA

— Arthur Hayes (@CryptoHayes) December 1, 2025

For a market already running hot after months of speculative flows, the tightening of one of the world’s last super-loose liquidity sources is hitting harder than many expected.

Here’s what you need to know if Japan is about to crash the market:

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Japan Rate Hike? BOJ Bond Yield Surge Sends Global Markets Into Defensive Mode

(Source: 10yr Bond Yield | MarketWatch)

The spark from the crash occurred on December 1, when BOJ Governor Kazuo Ueda announced that a 0.25% rate hike was on the table for the December 19 meeting. Immediately, market pricing jumped to a +76% probability, strengthening the yen to 155.49 and putting pressure on USDJPY’s multi-month ascent.

Hours later, Japan’s 10-year government bond yield surged to +1.84%, its highest reading since April 2008. The spike caught global markets off guard.

 Market analyst Perera: “When domestic yields rise from nothing to nearly 2%, the math changes.”

BREAKING: Japan's 10Y Government Bond Yield surges to 1.84%, its highest level since April 2008.

This chart is concerning to say the least. pic.twitter.com/fBkMMyBnqy

— The Kobeissi Letter (@KobeissiLetter) December 1, 2025

Data from FRED shows Japan’s long-term yields rising more than 90 basis points since early 2025, while DeFi Llama is reporting a $900M drop in total crypto liquidity over the last 48 hours as risk exposure unwinds.

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Why the US Is Vulnerable as Japan Pulls Back

The biggest fear is that Japan sees a similar economic crash as the UK saw when it brought in the Margaret Thatcher-style Prime Minister, Liz Truss. The markets lost confidence in Truss and her aggressive fiscal policy, while the same is now being said for Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi.

In recent weeks:

• Takaichi ruled out on Wednesday the possibility that Japan could face a British-style “Truss moment.”
• Prices of Japanese government bonds have fallen in tandem with the yen currency last week.
• Takaichi said her administration’s economic stimulus package was not “reckless spending.”

“Japan isn’t in a situation where it will face something similar to a Truss shock” – Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi.

JAPAN PACKAGE TO BE WORTH 42.8T YEN
JAPAN'S ECON PACKAGE TO BE 21.3T YEN
JAPAN SET FOR 17.7T YEN IN FRESH SPENDING VIA EXTRA BUDGET

It seems we have another Lizz Truss in office…this time takaichi…not sure either understand the complications of $jpy #yen JGBs

paging #fed

— Maleeha Bengali (@MaleehaMBCC) November 21, 2025

Japan is the largest foreign holder of US Treasuries at roughly $1.1 Tn, according to Treasury International Capital data. Rising domestic yields mean Japanese institutions may rotate funds home, at a time when the US is issuing record debt to cover $1.8 Tn annual deficits.

The next key test comes mid-December. If the BOJ confirms its hike, the yen strengthens further, and BTC could see additional downside pressure. If Ueda blinks, however, the market may unwind this panic just as quickly.

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Key Takeaways

• Are we about to see a Japan rate hike and the beginning of a global recession? Bitcoin’s slide from 92,000 to 86,000.
• The next key test comes mid-December. If the BOJ confirms its hike, the yen strengthens further and BTC could see additional downside pressure.

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