Bitget has announced that it will discontinue operations for users residing in Japan, with account limitations set to begin on November 1, 2026. After a compliance review, the cryptocurrency platform said it stopped accepting new registrations from Japanese territories after August 3.

Current users will need to confirm their location details or prepare to withdraw assets ahead of a full service shutdown. The exchange said users who appear to be residing in Japan have been instructed to complete Level 2 verification by November 1.

The verification process requires address confirmation and additional identification materials that establish a trader's current location. Users living outside Japan will need to provide accurate documentation to keep full access to the platform.

After the November deadline, Bitget will begin applying restrictions to accounts that have not completed verification, and those accounts will be automatically classified as Japanese-based. The company has not disclosed the exact scope of those restrictions, but said it will provide further instructions through registered email.

Account holders were told to review their profile information and complete the required verification before enforcement begins. They must also ensure that any address they submit matches official documents and supporting materials.

Starting November 1, 2026, Bitget will begin phasing in service limits for verified Japanese account holders. The company said users will have time to manage funds and close active positions before the transition is completed. Details on withdrawal procedures and asset handling will be sent directly to affected users.

According to the announced schedule, any trading positions still open after December 31, 2026, will be liquidated automatically. That means users will need to close margin trades, derivative contracts, and other active positions before the end of the year. They should also move any accessible holdings before their accounts become restricted or unavailable.

Bitget said the gradual timeline is intended to give Japanese users several months to prepare before the platform's full withdrawal from the market. However, it did not provide a detailed breakdown of restrictions for individual products or features.

Japan requires cryptocurrency platforms serving domestic users to register with the Financial Services Agency. The country established one of the world's first comprehensive crypto licensing frameworks following the 2014 collapse of the Mt. Gox exchange and the 2018 Coincheck hack, which together prompted stricter oversight of digital asset trading. Regulators had previously warned Bitget about alleged cryptocurrency services offered to Japanese residents without proper authorization. Those warnings were part of Japan's broader enforcement campaign against foreign platforms operating without domestic registration.

The Financial Services Agency issued formal warnings about the exchange in March 2023 and November 2024. Both notices raised concerns that the platform was providing cryptocurrency services to Japanese users without the required approval.

In June 2025, the Kanto Local Finance Bureau issued another warning related to the platform's operations. The bureau identified BTG Technology Holdings Limited in connection with alleged solicitation of unauthorized online derivative transactions.

Bitget is not the only foreign exchange to face friction under Japan's registration regime. Other major platforms have previously encountered similar enforcement actions or opted to adjust their Japanese operations to comply with local rules.

Rather than continue operating under intensifying regulatory scrutiny, Bitget chose to withdraw completely from the Japanese market.