key insights
- The withdrawal is not an instantaneous shutdown but a withdrawal according to a fixed timetable.
- Residency verification offers affected users an opportunity to correct account classification.
- Cryptocurrency withdrawals remain available after trading positions close automatically.
Bitget has stopped accepting new registrations from residents of Japan and introduced a phased withdrawal that will restrict existing accounts later this year. The exchange said the move aligns with local regulatory requirements after years of warnings from Japanese authorities over operating without the required registration.
The transition begins immediately for new customers and gradually expands to existing accounts through November and December. Users affected by the withdrawal must either complete additional residency verification if they believe they were classified incorrectly or prepare to close positions and withdraw assets before the final deadline.
Exchange Maps Out a Multi-Stage Exit
The withdrawal officially began on Aug. 3, when the exchange stopped accepting new registrations from people residing in Japan. Existing customers will continue accessing their accounts during the transition, but platform functionality will narrow as the year progresses.
From Nov. 1 at 11 a.m. Japan Standard Time, accounts identified as belonging to Japanese residents will enter a close-only period. Customers will no longer be able to open new positions or increase existing exposure across supported trading products.
The restrictions extend beyond spot and futures markets. Peer-to-peer trading, copy trading, Convert, Earn products, trading bots and card services will also become unavailable. Limited cryptocurrency and fiat deposits, together with withdrawals, will remain accessible during the transition.
The company advised affected users to begin closing positions before restrictions take effect. It also confirmed that additional guidance covering withdrawals and account management will arrive through email during the phased exit.
Date Planned change
Aug. 3, 2026 New registrations from Japan stopped
Nov. 1, 2026 Existing accounts enter close-only mode
Dec. 31, 2026 Remaining trading positions close automatically
After Dec. 31 Cryptocurrency withdrawals remain available
Residency Verification Determines Account Status
Some customers may have received residency notifications despite no longer living in Japan. Those users can challenge their classification through the platform’s Level 2 identity verification process before the November deadline.
The verification requires proof of address, including documents such as bank statements, utility bills or tax certificates. Submitted information must match the customer’s existing identity verification details.
Accounts that fail to complete the process before restrictions begin will continue to be treated as belonging to Japanese residents. Those customers will lose access to most platform services while remaining subject to the withdrawal timetable.
The exchange noted that users may still submit verification documents after Nov. 1. However, completing the review before restrictions begin should reduce interruptions to account access.
The company has not disclosed how many customers will be affected or the amount of digital assets held in accounts linked to residents of Japan.
Regulatory Pressure Built Over Several Years
The latest decision follows repeated action from Japanese regulators.
Japan’s Financial Services Agency (FSA) issued its first warning in March 2023, saying the exchange was providing crypto asset services without the necessary registration under the country’s Payment Services Act.
Another warning followed in November 2024. Authorities also identified several other overseas exchanges providing services without registration during the same announcement.
Regulatory pressure increased again in June 2025. The Kanto Local Finance Bureau identified BTG Technology Holdings Limited, which it said operated under the exchange’s name, as soliciting online over-the-counter derivatives transactions without registration.
That warning related specifically to financial instruments activity rather than crypto exchange registration. Nevertheless, it added another layer of scrutiny before the company announced its withdrawal from Japan.
The latest announcement does not indicate plans to seek domestic authorization. Instead, it sets a timeline to shut down services, while giving customers time to settle their accounts.
Compliance Strategy Reflects Local Licensing Requirements
The Japan withdrawal mirrors a broader approach that separates markets according to local regulatory status.
Earlier this year, the exchange stated that Singapore remains a prohibited jurisdiction under its terms of use. It also confirmed that it neither holds approval from nor operates under the supervision of the Monetary Authority of Singapore.
At the same time, the company continues pursuing registrations in markets where it intends to expand. It recently completed registration on New Zealand’s Financial Service Providers Register across several financial service categories and joined the country’s Insurance and Financial Services Ombudsman dispute resolution scheme.
However, New Zealand’s Companies Office has clarified that registration alone does not represent government approval or active regulatory supervision. Some financial transactions continue to need other regulators’ approval.
The contrasting approaches highlight the growing tendency of global cryptocurrency exchanges to tailor their operations to each jurisdiction rather than following a global compliance framework.
Conclusion
Bitget has provided their customers with the opportunity to make suitable preparations for a few months before the restrictions are set in stone, including checking residency, finishing transactions and transferring digital assets. The phase-by-phase program will minimize disruption to the immediate future and ensure a smooth conclusion to the exchange’s Japanese operations.
The ruling also underscores the increasing role of regulation in the jurisdiction in the cryptocurrency sector. Across the globe, licensing requirements are becoming progressively more stringent, and exchanges are becoming more selective about whether to get local authorization, or stay out of markets with less stringent requirements.
