Bitget announced on August 3 that it will stop providing services to residents of Japan, effective immediately for new registrations and progressively for existing accounts over the remainder of 2026.
The exchange published a notice on its website stating that new registrations from Japanese residents would no longer be accepted as of August 3. Existing accounts flagged as potentially belonging to Japanese residents will face gradual restrictions from November 1, 2026. Any positions that remain open after December 31, 2026 will be forcibly closed. The exchange said it will send withdrawal instructions and asset management guidance to affected users via email.
【日本居住者の皆様への大切なお知らせ】
— Bitget 【ビットゲット】🌏✨ (@BitgetJP) August 3, 2026
平素よりBitgetをご利用いただき、誠にありがとうございます。
日本におけるコンプライアンス遵守及び関連する制度を総合的に踏まえ、日本居住者の皆様へのサービス提供を終了し、アカウントの制限を段階的に実施させていただくことが決定いたしました。…
A pattern of regulatory warnings that preceded the exit
The decision follows a documented enforcement history with Japanese regulators. The Financial Services Agency warned Bitget in March 2023 for providing crypto services to Japanese residents without registration. The agency issued a second warning in November 2024 for the same reason. Following that second warning, Bitget's app was removed from Japan's App Store, though web and Android access remained available to existing users.
In June 2025, the Kanto Local Finance Bureau, a regional arm of Japan's Ministry of Finance, warned BTG Technology Holdings Limited, which it identified as the entity providing services under the Bitget name, for soliciting online over-the-counter derivatives transactions without registration.
Japan requires crypto service providers that serve local residents to register with the Financial Services Agency under the Payment Services Act. Registered providers must meet capital, custody, consumer protection, and anti-money laundering standards. That framework leaves little room for offshore platforms that have not completed the local registration process. Bitget did not hold FSA registration.
The verification deadline that determines which accounts are restricted
Bitget told users that anyone who believes they have been incorrectly classified as a Japanese resident must complete Level 2 identity verification, which includes address verification, by November 1. Failure to complete that process by the deadline means the account will be automatically classified as belonging to a Japanese resident.
The exchange described the verification step as the only path to maintaining account access past the November 1 date. The framing puts the burden on users to demonstrate their status rather than on Bitget to prove residency. Accounts that do not clear verification in time enter restrictions from November 1. Open positions in those accounts face forced closure after December 31.
Bitget framed the exit as a compliance decision.
"We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this may cause," the notice stated. "We kindly request your prompt cooperation in our efforts to comply with international regulatory standards."
How this fits the wider pattern of unlicensed platforms leaving Japan
Bitget's exit follows a path taken by other overseas exchanges after regulatory pressure in Japan intensified. Bybit previously withdrew from the Japanese market following similar FSA enforcement. The pattern reflects a consistent outcome: platforms that have not registered face warnings, application removals, and eventually find continued operations in Japan unsustainable without either investing in full licensing or exiting.
For Japanese users holding assets on Bitget, the practical window to act runs through December 31. Withdrawals of crypto assets remain permitted during the transition period. Users whose positions are still open after that date will have them closed involuntarily, with the exchange holding proceeds subject to the instructions it plans to communicate by email.
The forced-closure deadline creates a fixed endpoint for capital still sitting on the platform. FSA-registered domestic exchanges stand as the regulated alternatives available to Japanese residents who need to move assets before restrictions take full effect.
Gunel Ismayilova
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