How to Buy Bitcoin in Japan
We found 7 trusted online cryptocurrency exchanges operating in Japan including bitFlyer, Coincheck, and Binance.
bitFlyer is the most popular Bitcoin exchange in Japan with 2,500,000 users
Coincheck allows buying and selling Bitcoin with 3 forms of payment
Binance accepts users and payments from 192 countries
Ease of Use
Medium
Fees
Low
Verification
1 Day
Reputation
Trusted
bitFlyer is the number one cryptocurrency exchange by Bitcoin volume in Japan and offers an array of cryptocurrency assets to trade.
Buy Bitcoin
bitFlyer is the number one cryptocurrency exchange by Bitcoin volume in Japan and offers an array of cryptocurrency assets to trade. The exchange is designed with two trading platforms, ‘Easy Exchange’, a simple and user-friendly design primary for the exchange between JPY and BTC and ‘bitFlyer Lightning Platform’, built and designed for advanced cryptocurrency traders in mind.
The exchange is regulated by both the Japan Financial Services Agency (JFSA) and the New York Department of Financial Services (NYDFS). These regulations make bitFlyer one of the most trusted cryptocurrency exchanges and allow them to operate within the United States as well.
Ease of Use
Medium
Fees
Low
Verification
2-3 Days
Reputation
Trusted
Coincheck is one of Asia’s biggest cryptocurrency exchanges and processed the highest volumes of Bitcoin trading in Japan over the course of 2017.
Buy Bitcoin
Coincheck is one of Asia’s biggest cryptocurrency exchanges and processed the highest volumes of Bitcoin trading in Japan over the course of 2017. As of August 2016, the exchange had over $160 million transactions per month. Coincheck has a license to operate as a digital currency exchange in Japan and is audited by the Japan Blockchain Association. It’s also a member of the Japan Virtual Currency Business Operator Association and the General Association of FinTech.
Wallets hosted by Coincheck offer 2-factor authentication security and ‘cold storage’. Coincheck is also audited both financially and for cybersecurity. Nonetheless, In January 2018, Coincheck was hacked and approximately 500 million NEM tokens ($530 million) were stolen. The Financial Services Agency took administrative action by ordering Coincheck to improve its security practices but did not order the exchange to shut down out of a concern for the protection of its users. Coincheck announced that it would repay all 260,000 users affected in Japanese yen using its own capital.
Ease of Use
Medium
Fees
Low
Verification
1 Day
Reputation
Trusted
Within 8 months of launching in July 2017, Binance quickly skyrocketed into the world's largest cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume, processing more than $1 billion on a daily basis.
Buy Bitcoin
Within 8 months of launching in July 2017, Binance quickly skyrocketed into the world's largest cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume, processing more than $1 billion on a daily basis. It’s rise to popularity can be attributed to the impressive number of cryptocurrencies they offer, professional attitude, friendly and transparent CEO, and low trading fees.
Binance is considered a safe cryptocurrency exchange. Binance provides 2-factor authentication and offers both multi signature wallets and cold storage options.
After buying bitcoin from an exchange, it's important to withdraw to your own non-custodial wallet for security, privacy, and to have full control over your bitcoin.
Zengo is an easy iOS & Android crypto and NFT wallet. Buy, sell, and self-custody directly from the app.
Ledger Nano S Plus is a secure hardware wallet that connects to your computer via USB-C
BlueWallet is a popular desktop Bitcoin wallet which is compatible with Windows, Mac, and Linux
Ease of Use
Easy
Fees
Low
Verification
1 Day
Reputation
Trusted
ByBit sits amongst Binance as one of the leading cryptocurrency exchanges known for its vast selection of cryptocurrencies and professional trading features.
Buy Bitcoin
ByBit sits amongst Binance as one of the leading cryptocurrency exchanges known for its vast selection of cryptocurrencies and professional trading features. With its user-friendly interface, low fees, and liquidity, ByBit stands out as an ideal choice for both novice and experienced traders seeking a reliable and feature-rich platform.
ByBit user funds are stored securely offline in cold wallets and routinely provides Proof of Reserves audits and publishes them to the public.
Ease of Use
Easy
Fees
Low
Verification
1 Day
Reputation
Trusted
OKX is a leading cryptocurrency exchange known for its vast selection of cryptocurrencies.
Buy Bitcoin
OKX is a leading cryptocurrency exchange known for its vast selection of cryptocurrencies. With its user-friendly interface, low fees, and deep liquidity, OKX stands out as an ideal choice for both novice and experienced traders seeking a reliable and feature-rich platform.
OKX has created an asset risk reserve fund committed to continually allocating a percentage of our earnings to guarantee and protect assets from crypto security risks
Ease of Use
Medium
Fees
Average
Verification
1-2 Days
Reputation
Trusted
Launched in 2013, Huobi (now rebranded to HTX) is one of the largest cryptocurrency exchanges in the world by volume.
Buy Bitcoin
Launched in 2013, Huobi (now rebranded to HTX) is one of the largest cryptocurrency exchanges in the world by volume. Huobi has a massive prescence in the Asian markets and their popularity has been spreading globally. With more than 390 cryptocurrencies offered, traders and investors around the world can easily buy crypto..
Huobi client funds are held in dedicated multi-signature cold wallets with 24/7 security monitoring, and a dedicated 20,000 BTC Security Reserve Fund has been created to further providing another level of asset protection.
Ease of Use
Easy
Fees
Average
Verification
1 Day
Reputation
Trusted
Changelly allows one to exchange one cryptocurrency for another and also buy using a bank card.
Buy Bitcoin
Changelly allows one to exchange one cryptocurrency for another and also buy using a bank card. All this is done through a convenient and clean user-interface and a quick registration via email or social media account. Changelly’s conversion mechanism is integrated into some of the biggest cryptocurrency platforms such as Poloniex, Bittrex, and Binance. There are no geographical restrictions to the service that Changelly provides, so it can be accessed from anywhere in the world.
Changelly offers two-factor authentication and an HTTPS security protocol. No user funds are stored by Changelly as all coins sent are processed to be exchanged and transferred to user wallets.
Buying bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies in Japan is a simple process and usually takes less than 10 minutes to get fully setup.
The first step is to register with a platform, app or exchange and complete a Know Your Customer (KYC) process.
The exchange you choose will be interoperable with most devices, desktop and mobile, and will allow you to withdraw to your own personal hardware wallet.
There are also several options available for buying and selling without verification on P2P exchanges, although they are much less user-friendly and are recommended for more advanced users.
Before purchasing, there are a couple of important things you'll need to prepare:
1. Create an account with an exchange
Japan has 7 trusted exchanges available for you to sign up for, with the most popular being bitFlyer and Coincheck, which account for a combined 4,200,000 active users.
Both exchanges are considered to be beginner-friendly and offer multiple deposit methods and a variety of cryptocurrencies.
Exchanges will differ by fees, security, payment methods, and other features, so explore the "info" tab on the exchanges listed above to find which one is the right fit for you.
The platform you end up choosing will depend on your preferences and the cryptocurrencies and payment methods they support.
Also it's important to note that you can always sign up to other exchanges later.
2. Complete the KYC verification process
After signing up to an exchange you will need to verify your identity and address, which is part of the Know Your Customer (KYC) process. This is an unavoidable legal requirement for almost all exchanges in Japan.
To complete this step you will need your photo ID readily available to take pictures of both the front and back sides of the document.
In most cases your verification will be approved instantly and at most can take 1-2 days.
3. Make a fiat deposit
To begin buying bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies you will need to link a bank account or credit card to the exchange.
Some of the payment methods provided by bitFlyer and Coincheck are: Bank Transfer, Credit Card, Cryptocurrency, Wire Transfer.
Depending on the payment method, it could take anywhere from a couple of minutes to days for the funds to arrive at the exchange.
4. Buy cryptocurrency
Once your account has been funded, you are ready to buy your first bitcoin. It's important to note that you do not need to buy a full bitcoin.
Most exchanges will let you buy as little as a few dollars worth of bitcoin, or any other cryptocurrency.
5. Send your bitcoin to a personal wallet
Once you've purchased bitcoin or your cryptocurrency of choice it's important to withdraw it to your own secure personal wallet.
Leaving your coins on an exchange poses a security risk as many exchanges are targets for hackers to steal user funds. Storing your own coins on your personal hardware wallet mitigates that risk.
Japan
Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies are legal in Japan.
Japanese regulators have historically taken a hands-off approach that has allowed Bitcoin and digital assets to prosper and evolve in the country.
🌎 View bitcoin and cryptocurrency legality around the world
There are 7 trusted exchanges operating in Japan with the most popular being bitFlyer , Coincheck , and Binance.
You can review each of these exchanges and find best exchange that works for you. Bitrawr ranks exchanges in Japan based on fees, users, and security while giving placement preference to exchanges located in Japan or specifically catering to users in Japan.
Most of the exchanges operating in Japan have debit/credit card payment options available. Remember that this requires completing KYC.
No! For complete custody of your Bitcoin or other cryptocurrencies it is recommended to store them in a hardware wallet as it keeps private keys safe and entirely offline.
Bitcoin ATMs are an excellent way to buy bitcoin using cash and offer little to no requirements for KYC. ATMs are commonly located inside of convenience stores, shops, restaurants, malls or airports. Find one near you using our ATM map.
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