From January 22, 2026, Bybit will cease serving residents of Japan due to pressure from local regulators, as reported by CoinPost Japan, citing an official statement from the platform. The company stated this move is part of its ongoing efforts to comply with Japanese regulatory requirements. The restrictions will be enforced through IP address blocking, and the exchange plans a phased withdrawal from the country. If users are mistakenly identified as Japanese residents, they should update or complete residency verification.
Bybit has taken this step amid increasing pressure from the Financial Services Agency (FSA). In late October 2025, the exchange suspended new user registrations to comply with regulatory requirements. Additionally, the company has received warnings from the FSA three times (in May 2021, March 2023, and November 2024) and has been gradually withdrawing from the Japanese market. In 2023, Binance took a similar approach: initially, the main division left Japan, then Binance Japan was launched through the acquisition of Sakura Exchange Bitcoin, which held a local license.
This pattern underscores the intense regulatory environment shaping crypto platforms’ market participation in Japan. Regulators have pursued tighter oversight and compliance measures across exchanges.
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