Bitget Announces Complete Withdrawal from Japanese Market, All Positions to Close by Year-End

Bitget Announces Complete Withdrawal from Japanese Market, All Positions to Close by Year-End

The cryptocurrency trading platform has halted new user registrations for Japanese residents and will implement a phased restriction process for current account holders starting Nov. 1.

Cryptocurrency trading platform Bitget has announced its intention to cease all service offerings to individuals residing in Japan, implementing restrictions on existing accounts in multiple phases.

In a Monday announcement, the exchange revealed that it has already discontinued the acceptance of new registration requests from individuals residing in Japan, with restrictions on current accounts set to commence on Nov. 1. All trading positions that remain active as of Dec. 31 will be subject to forced liquidation.

According to Bitget's statement, users who feel they have been mistakenly identified as Japanese residents are required to submit "Level 2" verification documentation, which encompasses address confirmation procedures, no later than Nov. 1. Those who fail to comply with this requirement will have their accounts officially designated as belonging to Japanese residents.

Account holders will be provided with additional guidance through email communications regarding the necessary steps and procedures for managing their digital assets.

This withdrawal strategy comes in the wake of multiple previous alerts issued by Japanese regulatory authorities. The Financial Services Agency (FSA) issued warnings to Bitget in March 2023 and again in November 2024 for purportedly offering cryptocurrency services to Japanese residents while operating without proper registration.

In June 2025, the Kanto Local Finance Bureau, which operates as a regional division of Japan's Ministry of Finance, issued a warning to BTG Technology Holdings Limited, which it identified as the entity operating services under the Bitget brand name, for engaging in the solicitation of online over-the-counter derivatives transactions in the absence of required registration.