GMO Coin review
GMO Coin is the Japanese exchange with the lowest taker fee among the major domestic platforms, which makes it the natural pick for anyone who buys at market rather than posting limit orders.
It is registered with the Financial Services Agency under the Payment Services Act and is part of GMO Internet Group, a listed Japanese company with a long history outside crypto. That corporate backing is worth something in a market where the FSA runs a closed register and has publicly warned unregistered platforms away.
Taker orders cost 0.05 percent, which undercuts most of the domestic field. Crypto withdrawals are free up to a monthly threshold, an unusual perk: most exchanges charge per withdrawal, which quietly penalises anyone moving coins to self-custody regularly. GMO Coin does not, up to a point.
Yen funding is by Furikomi bank transfer. As everywhere in Japan, bitcoin gains are taxed as miscellaneous income rather than capital gains, so a large profit can land in a materially higher bracket than it would in most other countries.
- Founded
- 2016
- Headquarters
- Tokyo, Japan
- Fees
- Taker orders cost 0.05 percent, the lowest of the major Japanese platforms, and crypto withdrawals are free up to a monthly threshold.
- KYC
- Required
- Payment methods
- Furikomi bank transfer
- Status
- Operating
How you can pay on GMO Coin
Every deposit rail GMO Coin supports in at least one market.
- Domestic bank rail
- Furikomi bank transfer
As published by GMO Coin: Furikomi bank transfer.
Pros and cons
What works
- A 0.05 percent taker fee, the lowest among the major FSA-registered Japanese platforms
- Free crypto withdrawals up to a monthly threshold, which most exchanges charge for every time
- Backed by GMO Internet Group, a listed Japanese company with a long record outside crypto
- FSA-registered under the Payment Services Act, inside Japan's closed licensing perimeter
What to watch
- The simpler buy screen is priced differently from the exchange order book, so confirm which one you are on
- Free withdrawals stop above the monthly threshold
- Custodial until you withdraw, like every platform here
Fees in detail
- taker
- 0.05 percent
- spread note
- Check which product you are using: the exchange order book and the simpler buy screen are priced differently.
- deposit note
- Yen deposits by Furikomi bank transfer.
- withdrawal note
- Crypto withdrawals are free up to a monthly threshold, which is unusual and directly rewards moving coins to self-custody.
Where we recommend GMO Coin
Countries where GMO Coin ranks in our local guide. Availability beyond these is possible but unverified by us.
JapanFrequently asked questions
What does GMO Coin charge to buy bitcoin?
Taker orders cost 0.05 percent on the exchange, the lowest published rate among the major Japanese platforms. Its simpler buy screen is priced differently, so check which product you are using.
Are withdrawals really free?
Crypto withdrawals are free up to a monthly threshold. That is genuinely unusual, and it matters because per-withdrawal fees are what discourage people from moving coins into self-custody regularly.
Who is behind GMO Coin?
GMO Internet Group, a listed Japanese internet company with a long operating history outside crypto. The exchange itself is registered with the Financial Services Agency under the Payment Services Act.
Worth comparing
- 4.4bitbankFSA-registered Japanese order book that pays makers a rebate rather than charging them, with full yen deposits and withdrawals.
- 4.2bitFlyerJapan's most established exchange, deeply wired into the domestic banking system, with a beginner screen whose spread costs far more than its order book.