Kraken in Japan: not available
- Availability
- Not available
- Bitcoin in Japan
- Legal
- Our rating
- 4.7
- Review updated
- 2026-08-23
No. Kraken does not serve residents of Japan: Japan is on the list of restricted countries that Kraken itself publishes, quoted below with the date it was read. 5 exchanges in our Japan guide do: bitbank, GMO Coin, bitFlyer, Coincheck and Binance, ranked on fees, security record and local payment support.
- Availability
- Not available
- Ranks in
- 127 country guides
- Currency
- Japanese yen (JPY)
- Headquarters
- San Francisco, United States
Where this comes from
Kraken's help centre article "Where is Kraken licensed or regulated?", last updated August 17, 2026, closes on the exclusion side: under a Prohibited Regions heading it says it does not serve clients, or permit cash and crypto deposits, from 14 named regions: Afghanistan, Belarus, the Crimea, Donetsk and Luhansk regions of Ukraine, Cuba, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Iran, Iraq, Japan, Libya, North Korea, Russia, Sudan, South Sudan and Syria. Twelve of the 14 names map to the 231 countries this site covers; North Korea is not among them, and the Crimea, Donetsk and Luhansk entry names three regions of Ukraine rather than Ukraine itself, which the list does not name. The page never says the list is complete, and Kraken's Global Terms of Service add that it may refuse any sanctioned or embargoed jurisdiction "or any jurisdiction where we may have restricted use of any services", so a country absent from the list is unlisted rather than confirmed. Japan is the one entry Kraken's own notice explains: it ceased operations there and deregistered from the JFSA as of January 31, 2023. Within the United States, residents of Maine and New York are also excluded, which the state pages carry separately. The list here is derived from https://support.kraken.com/hc/en-us/articles/360001368823, read on 6 September 2026.
What to use instead in Japan
The Japan guide's own ranking, unchanged: every exchange we rank there, on fees, security record and local payment support, each with its Japan page.
| # | Exchange | Rating | Fees | ID check | Pays with |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | bitbank | 4.4 | Maker rebate of 0.02% | Required | Furikomi bank transfer |
| 2 | GMO Coin | 4.3 | 0.05% taker, free withdrawals | Required | Furikomi bank transfer |
| 3 | bitFlyer | 4.2 | Lightning 0.01% to 0.15% | Required | Furikomi bank transfer |
| 4 | Coincheck | 4.0 | Free yen bank transfers | Required | Furikomi bank transfer |
| 5 | Binance | 4.2 | From 0.1% spot, maker and taker | Required | Furikomi bank transfer, Credit or debit card, Apple Pay, Google Pay |
Is bitcoin legal in Japan?
Bitcoin is fully legal in Japan and the market is among the world's most strictly supervised. Crypto exchanges must register with the Financial Services Agency (JFSA), which has overseen the sector under the Payment Services Act since 2017, and legislation passed in 2026 reclassifies crypto assets as financial products under the Financial Instruments and Exchange Act, adding insider trading rules and heavier penalties for unregistered operators. Foreign platforms without Japanese registration cannot legally solicit Japanese residents.
Where Kraken does work
Kraken ranks in 127 of our country guides and lists 11 other countries it cannot serve. Every country, with rank and rails
Also not available in
Afghanistan
Belarus
Cuba
DR Congo
Iran
Iraq
Libya
Russia
South Sudan
Sudan
SyriaFrequently asked questions
Is Kraken available in Japan?
No. Kraken lists Japan among the countries whose residents it cannot serve. Kraken's help centre article "Where is Kraken licensed or regulated?", last updated August 17, 2026, closes on the exclusion side: under a Prohibited Regions heading it says it does not serve clients, or permit cash and crypto deposits, from 14 named regions: Afghanistan, Belarus, the Crimea, Donetsk and Luhansk regions of Ukraine, Cuba, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Iran, Iraq, Japan, Libya, North Korea, Russia, Sudan, South Sudan and Syria. Our Japan guide was last reviewed 2026-08-23 and the Kraken review on 2026-08-23.
Why does Kraken not serve Japan?
Kraken names Japan on the restricted-countries list it publishes, without a per-country reason. The list is quoted on this page with the date it was read; a country absent from it is unknown rather than served, which is why this site only says no where the operator itself does.
What can I use instead in Japan?
5 exchanges in our Japan guide do: bitbank, GMO Coin, bitFlyer, Coincheck and Binance, ranked on fees, security record and local payment support. Each has its own Japan page here with the payment methods it takes there.
Is bitcoin legal in Japan?
Bitcoin is fully legal in Japan and the market is among the world's most strictly supervised.
Where is Kraken available?
Kraken ranks in 127 of our country guides and lists 12 countries it cannot serve, Japan included. Both lists are on the Kraken countries page.
Sources
- Kraken fee schedule
- Bloomberg: Kraken said to prepare for IPO
- Value Add VC: Kraken IPO and valuation analysis
- Kraken security practices
- Kraken: Washington state launch (July 2025)
- Kraken: Where is Kraken licensed or regulated? (carries the Prohibited Regions list), last updated 17 August 2026
- CNBC: Coinbase says it will halt Japan operations (January 2023)
- CoinDesk via Yahoo Finance: Kraken to end Japan operations
- Finance Magnates: Japan plans 20 percent crypto tax and FIEA oversight