Share this article
Huobi Pro Exchange to Suspend Crypto Trading in Japan
Huobi Pro is to stop offering trading services to investors living in Japan, reportedly over its lack of a license in the country.
By Wolfie Zhao
Updated Sep 13, 2021, 8:06 a.m. Published Jun 27, 2018, 9:30 a.m.
Make us preferred on Google
Cryptocurrency exchange Huobi Pro is to cease offering trading services to investors living in Japan starting from next month.
According to a news report from Coinpost, the exchange announced the news in an email sent to investors in Japan on Wednesday, stating it will remove the Japanese option from its homepage and suspends trading services from July 2.
STORY CONTINUES BELOW
Don't miss another story.Subscribe to the Crypto Daybook Americas Newsletter today. See all newsletters
In a response to a CoinDesk enquiry, Huobi Pro – currently the third largest exchange in the world by 24-hour trading volume – confirmed the news, but has yet to provide further details such as the plan for users' asset withdrawals.
As suggested in the Coinpost report, Huobi Pro made the decision to withdraw Japan-based services because is not registered with the Financial Services Agency (FSA), Japan's financial watchdog, as mandated under a money transaction law introduced in 2016. It is not currently clear if the exchange has been contacted by the FSA over the issue.
Earlier this year, Huobi Pro indicated it was partnering SBI Virtual Currency – the licensed exchange backed by Japanese financial giant SBI Holdings – to launch a regulated platform in Japan. However, the plan was notably scrapped by SBI Virtual Currency back in March.
According to web traffic tracking site Alexa, currently 13.3 percent of the visitors on Huobi Pro come from Japan. The company would not indicate to CoinDesk when asked if it is considering filing a registration application with the FSA as a next step.
In March, Binance, currently the second largest cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume, notably received a warning from the FSA stating that, as a foreign entity, it was offering trading services to Japanese residents without a license. Binance confirmed at the time that its legal team was in dialogue with the agency.
Traffic light image via Shutterstock
More For You
KuCoin captured a record share of centralised exchange volume in 2025, with more than $1.25tn traded as its volumes grew faster than the wider crypto market.
What to know:
- KuCoin recorded over $1.25 trillion in total trading volume in 2025, equivalent to an average of roughly $114 billion per month, marking its strongest year on record.
- This performance translated into an all-time high share of centralised exchange volume, as KuCoin’s activity expanded faster than aggregate CEX volumes, which slowed during periods of lower market volatility.
- Spot and derivatives volumes were evenly split, each exceeding $500 billion for the year, signalling broad-based usage rather than reliance on a single product line.
- Altcoins accounted for the majority of trading activity, reinforcing KuCoin’s role as a primary liquidity venue beyond BTC and ETH at a time when majors saw more muted turnover.
- Even as overall crypto volumes softened mid-year, KuCoin maintained elevated baseline activity, indicating structurally higher user engagement rather than short-lived volume spikes.
More For You
Strategy surges 6% on MSCI decision not to exclude DATs from indexes
Shares of the Michael Saylor-led firm had been under pressure not just from weak bitcoin prices, but also the chance that the indexing giant might exclude DATs from its indexes.
What to know:
- Strategy (MSTR) shares rose 6% in after-hours trading after MSCI's decision on digital asset treasury companies.
- MSCI stated that distinguishing between investment companies and those holding digital assets requires further research.
- The current index treatment for companies with digital assets making up 50% or more of their total assets will remain unchanged.
Top Stories
