Japan is a rather special stop in Binance's global layout: Japan has its own Financial Services Agency (FSA) regulatory system, which requires all cryptocurrency exchanges targeting Japanese residents to obtain a local "Crypto Asset Exchange Service Provider" license. After years of tug-of-war with regulators, Binance finally acquired the local Japanese license in 2023 by purchasing Sakura Exchange BitCoin and officially operates under the name Binance Japan. This article will clearly explain the registration process, available coins, and differences from the international version for Japanese users. Once ready, go to the Binance Official Site to start registering. For Android, download the Binance Official APP, and Apple users can refer to the iOS Installation Guide.
What is Binance Japan
Binance Japan (バイナンスジャパン) is Binance's compliant sub-brand in Japan, officially launched in August 2023. It is operated by Sakura Exchange BitCoin (later Binance Japan KK), acquired by Binance Holdings, and holds a Crypto Asset Exchange Service Provider license issued by the Japanese Financial Services Agency (FSA).
This means that Binance Japan is an independent legal entity, and its users, supported coins, and features are completely independent from the binance.com international version. Japanese residents must use Binance Japan to be compliant.
Key Requirements for Japanese Users
To register for Binance Japan, you must meet the following conditions:
- Over 18 years old (some services require being over 20)
- Japanese resident (holding a valid Residence Card or Certificate of Residence)
- Local Japanese bank account (for fiat deposits and withdrawals)
- Local Japanese phone number (for SMS verification)
If you are not a Japanese resident (for example, just on a short-term business trip or studying abroad), theoretically you cannot register for Binance Japan and will be rejected by KYC.
Binance Japan Registration Process
Step 1: Visit the Official Portal
Open your browser and visit www.binance.com/ja, or just visit binance.com and let the system automatically redirect you to the Japanese portal. Note: The URL for Binance Japan includes the /ja path; it is not an independent .jp domain.
If the system does not automatically redirect, you can switch the language to "日本語" (Japanese) at the bottom of the page.
Step 2: Register Account with Email
Click "アカウント作成" (Create Account) in the top right corner and select:
- メールアドレス (Email Address)
- パスワード (Password)
- 紹介コード (Referral Code, optional)
After filling it out, you will receive a 6-digit verification code email; enter it to complete the account creation. Remember the password must be at least 8 characters long, including uppercase and lowercase letters + numbers + symbols.
Step 3: Complete Japan-Specific KYC
Japan's KYC is much stricter than the international version. You need to prepare the following documents:
-
本人確認書類 (Identity Verification Document)
- マイナンバーカード (My Number Card): Best option
- 運転免許証 (Driver's License)
- パスポート (Passport)
- 在留カード (Residence Card, for foreign residents)
-
住所確認書類 (Proof of Address, within the last 3 months)
- 公共料金的領収証 (Utility bills: electricity, gas, water)
- 国民健康保険証 (National Health Insurance Card)
- 印鑑証明書 (Certificate of Seal Registration)
-
マイナンバー (My Number)
- Must be provided, this is required by the Japanese tax system
-
Photos corresponding to the current address and driver's license/passport
-
本人確認映像 (Liveness verification selfie video)
The entire KYC review process takes 1-3 business days, which is much slower than the few minutes for the international version.
Step 4: Bind a Japanese Bank Account
You can only bind a local Japanese bank account for JPY deposits and withdrawals after passing KYC. Supported banks include:
- 三菱UFJ銀行 (MUFG Bank)
- みずほ銀行 (Mizuho Bank)
- 三井住友銀行 (SMBC)
- 楽天銀行 (Rakuten Bank)
- ジャパンネット銀行 (PayPay Bank)
- 住信SBIネット銀行 (SBI Sumishin Net Bank)
- Various regional banks
When binding, the bank account name must be exactly identical to the KYC registration name, otherwise, it will be rejected.
Step 5: JPY Deposit and Trading
Once the bank account is bound, you can deposit funds. Deposit methods:
- 銀行振込 (Bank Transfer): Arrives the same day, free or low fee
- Pay-easy: Convenience store payment, supported by some banks
Once the deposit arrives, you can buy and sell cryptocurrencies on the 現物 (Spot) trading page.
Differences Between Binance Japan and the International Version
| Feature | binance.com International | Binance Japan |
|---|---|---|
| Fiat | Multiple currencies | Only JPY |
| Supported Coins | 350+ | Around 50 (continuously adding) |
| Spot Trading | Supported | Supported |
| Futures / Derivatives | Supported | Not Supported |
| Margin Trading | Supported | Not Supported (Prohibited by FSA) |
| Launchpad | Supported | Not Supported |
| Staking / Earn | Fully Supported | Partially Supported |
| Customer Service Language | Multilingual | Primarily Japanese |
| Regulation | Multiple global locations | Japan FSA |
Simply put, Binance Japan is a feature-restricted but fully compliant version. Japan's strict financial regulations prevent it from offering futures and high-risk derivatives.
Main Coins Tradable in Japan
The number of coins listed on Binance Japan is continuously expanding. Currently, it mainly supports:
- Mainstream coins: BTC, ETH, BNB, XRP, LTC, BCH, DOGE
- Stablecoins: USDT, USDC, DAI
- Platform coins: BNB, CAKE, UNI
- DeFi: AAVE, LINK, SUSHI
- Public chains: SOL, AVAX, DOT, ATOM, MATIC
- Local Japanese favorites: ASTR (Astar Network, a Japanese team project)
Every new coin listing requires FSA review, so the speed is much slower than the international version. New coins are usually announced on the Binance Japan homepage.
Tax Issues
Japan's tax regulations for cryptocurrencies are quite complex. All trading profits are declared as "Miscellaneous Income" (雑所得), with a maximum tax rate of up to 55% (including resident tax). Specifically:
- Spot trading profit: Counted as miscellaneous income based on the total profit for the year
- Interest income (e.g., Earn products): Also classified as miscellaneous income
- Transfers between wallets: Not considered a taxable event
- Cryptocurrency purchases: Treated as a sale and requires declaration
All Binance Japan users will receive an annual trading report (取引履歴書) for tax declaration. It is recommended to download and save it once a month to avoid processing everything at the end of the year.
Frequently Asked Questions for Japanese Users
Q: Can I use the binance.com international version?
No. The Japanese FSA explicitly requires services targeting Japanese residents to have a local license. If you register on binance.com with a Japanese identity, your account may be frozen. Japanese residents can only use Binance Japan.
Q: What about the assets originally on binance.com?
When Binance Japan launched, Binance provided an asset migration window for existing Japanese users on binance.com. If you missed the migration period, the current approach is:
- Withdraw your assets from binance.com to your own wallet
- Register a new account on Binance Japan and complete KYC
- Deposit coins from your wallet to your Binance Japan account
Note: The migrated coins must be listed on Binance Japan; otherwise, you can only hold them in your own wallet.
Q: Can foreign students register?
Yes, provided you have a valid Residence Card and a local Japanese address. The Residence Card serves as the identity verification document, and the Certificate of Residence or utility bill serves as the address proof. However, visitors on short-term visas (under 90 days) may be rejected.
Q: Can I avoid paying taxes?
No. The National Tax Agency (NTA) of Japan has clear tax requirements for cryptocurrency trading, and all transaction records are automatically synchronized to the tax authorities (reported by the exchange). Failure to declare will result in fines and back taxes, and severe cases may involve tax evasion charges.
Q: What are the fees?
The spot trading fees on Binance Japan are Maker 0.10%, Taker 0.15%, slightly higher than the international version. BNB fee deduction is temporarily unavailable in Japan due to compliance reasons.
Q: How do I download the APP?
Apple users can search for "Binance Japan" in the Japanese App Store to download it (developer: Binance Japan KK). Android users can search for it on Google Play or download the APK from the official Binance Japan website. Do not download the international binance.com APP, as login will fail.
Q: Can I withdraw coins to my own wallet?
Yes. Binance Japan supports withdrawing coins to self-hosted wallets, but you need to complete a wallet address whitelist verification first (Travel Rule compliance requirement). This means the first time you withdraw to a new address, you must register the address and wait for approval (usually a few hours) before initiating the withdrawal.
Summary
The core principle for Japanese users using Binance is to use Binance Japan and do not try the international version. The process is more cumbersome than the international version, and there are fewer coins and features, but it is compliant, safe, and has clear tax reporting. For first-time registration, it is recommended to set aside half a day to complete KYC and bank binding.