Cryptocurrency exchange Bitget will discontinue services for Japanese residents and begin restricting affected accounts starting November 1, 2026. The exchange halted new registrations from Japan after August 3, following its latest compliance review. Affected users must now verify their residential status or prepare to manage their assets before final closures take effect.

November 1 Verification Deadline

Bitget has asked users flagged as Japanese residents to complete Level 2 identity verification before November 1. The process requires address verification and other identity documents confirming each account holder's current residential status. Users residing outside Japan must submit accurate documentation to retain full account access.

After the November deadline, the exchange will automatically classify unverified accounts as belonging to Japanese residents. Those accounts will face gradual service restrictions under Bitget's planned withdrawal process. While Bitget has not detailed every restriction, the exchange said it will provide further instructions through registered email addresses.

Bitget urged users to review their personal details and complete the required verification before restrictions take effect. The exchange also advised users to confirm that their submitted address matches their official identification and supporting documents. This verification process is intended to help Bitget distinguish overseas users from customers residing within Japan.

Phased Service Restrictions for Japanese Accounts

Bitget will begin limiting services for confirmed Japanese residents on November 1, 2026. The exchange will allow users time to manage funds and close active positions before final enforcement. The company plans to explain available withdrawal procedures and asset management steps through direct communications with affected users.

Under the announced timeline, any positions remaining open after December 31, 2026, will face forced closure. Users must therefore settle leveraged trades, derivatives positions, and other active products before year-end. They should also transfer available assets before account functions become unavailable or significantly restricted.

The phased approach gives Japanese residents several months to prepare for the full service withdrawal. However, Bitget has not yet published detailed timelines for each individual product restriction or account function. The exchange said future emails will outline required actions as implementation dates approach.

Regulatory Pressure Precedes Market Exit

Japan requires cryptocurrency platforms serving local residents to secure registration from the Financial Services Agency (FSA) under the Payment Services Act, one of the first comprehensive licensing regimes for digital asset exchanges established by a major economy. The framework was introduced following the 2014 Mt. Gox collapse and strengthened further after the 2018 Coincheck incident, giving Japanese regulators both the authority and precedent to pursue unregistered platforms operating within their jurisdiction.

The FSA issued warnings involving the exchange in March 2023 and November 2024. Both notices addressed concerns that the platform provided digital asset services to Japanese residents without authorization.

In June 2025, the Kanto Local Finance Bureau issued another warning linked to the Bitget name. The bureau named BTG Technology Holdings Limited over alleged solicitation of unregistered online derivatives transactions.

Bitget is not alone in facing this enforcement environment. Other major overseas exchanges, including Binance and Bybit, have also withdrawn from the Japanese market in recent years rather than pursue FSA registration, which requires meeting capital requirements, custody standards, and governance obligations reviewed by both the agency and Japan's certified cryptocurrency exchange self-regulatory framework. Bitget has now chosen a complete market exit rather than continuing services under increasing regulatory scrutiny.