Gate.io, one of the world’s leading cryptocurrency exchanges, announced its decision to terminate services in Japan and will stop opening new accounts for Japanese residents from July 22, 2024.
Furthermore, the exchange launched a legal compliance program in Japan to support customers in migrating transactions to crypto asset trading providers that comply with Japanese regulations.
Gate.io to Terminate Services for Japanese Customers; Announces Migration Support Program
According to today’s announcement, Gate.io will terminate services for customers in Japan.
This decision highlights the exchange’s commitment to complying with financial regulations in all regions where it operates.
Effective July 22, 2024, the exchange will suspend the opening of new accounts for customers residing in Japan.
To ensure a smooth termination of services for existing users in Japan, Gate.io will implement several measures.
Firstly, the exchange will launch a program to help customers migrate their transactions to cryptocurrency exchanges that comply with Japanese regulations. This program will ensure that users can continue their activities within the legal framework of Japan.
Additionally, Gate.io will take steps to comply with Japanese law, including deleting Japanese descriptions on the platform.
During the support period, the exchange will provide information in Japanese to the extent necessary to assist users in their transition.
Lastly, details regarding the suspension of its services, including the response plan and schedule for the migration of transactions, will be communicated in accordance with compliance requests from the Financial Services Agency.
According to the exchange, these details will be implemented in accordance with compliance requests from authorities such as the Financial Services Agency.
The announcement will also clarify the types of services and crypto assets that can be provided based on the prevailing laws and regulations.
The company apologizes for any inconvenience this may cause and appreciates the continued support of its users. Gate.io also assured that it remains committed to cooperating with financial regulatory authorities globally to ensure compliance.
Japan’s Strict Crypto Regulations: Lessons from Mt. Gox, Coincheck, and Recent FSA Actions
Japanese crypto regulation is notably stricter than that of many other countries, influenced heavily by several high-profile crypto exchange hacks.
In 2014, a major exchange in Japan, Mt. Gox, suffered a significant hack, resulting in substantial Bitcoin losses for investors. This event led to years of legal battles, but Mt. Gox finally began repaying its creditors on June 5, offering some relief to those affected.
Another major incident was the 2018 hack on Coincheck, which further propelled Tokyo to establish the world’s first comprehensive set of regulations for domestic crypto exchanges.
Recently, on June 14, the Financial Services Agency (FSA) issued a warning to the LBank Exchange for offering cryptocurrency transactions to Japanese residents without proper registration.
Notably, Japanese law mandates that all exchanges operating within the country must obtain FSA-issued operating permits.
This lengthy and meticulous process has deterred many significant players from entering the Japanese market and has led to the exit of several major companies in recent years.
The law also requires that overseas firms actively targeting Japanese residents must either cease their activities or apply for FSA permits.
In previous years, the FSA has reached out to top exchanges, such as Binance, requesting that they either stop targeting Japanese customers or apply for a license.
In 2023, the FSA increased its scrutiny of overseas platforms. It issued warnings to Bybit, MEXC Global, Bitget, and Bitforex, stating that they were providing cryptocurrency trading services to Japanese residents without registration.
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