Share this article
Japan's TechBureau Raises $6.5 Million for Bitcoin and Blockchain Services
A Japanese blockchain startup has reportedly raised $6.5m in a new Series A funding round.
By Stan Higgins
Updated Sep 11, 2021, 12:16 p.m. Published May 13, 2016, 3:05 p.m.
Make us preferred on Google
A Japanese blockchain startup has raised ¥720m (or just over $6.5m) in a new Series A funding round.
TechBureau, which operates a bitcoin exchange called Zaif and a permissioned blockchain platform named Mijin, netted the investment from a group of investors. Participants in the round included Arara, a financial services firm; online information portal OKWAVE; VC firms Nippon Technology Venture Partners and Hiroshima Venture Capital; and FISCO, a corporate analysis firm.
STORY CONTINUES BELOW
Don't miss another story.Subscribe to the Crypto Daybook Americas Newsletter today. See all newsletters
The round also included an existing investor, Money Partners Group, a forex broker that invested in the startup last month.
According to the announcement, the startup will use the capital to hire additional employees. TechBureau also intends to develop blockchain applications in partnership with its investors.
TechBureau CEO Takao Asayama said that the funding follows a successful test conducted with Nomura Research Institute (NRI) and SBI Holdings, a Japanese firm that has made a number of investments in the country's digital currency and blockchain space in recent months.
Future plans, he said, include a merging of the Zaif and Mijin business lines, as well as expanding geographically.
Asayama told CoinDesk:
"We [aim to] start working on similar alliances outside of Japan, getting ready for the launch of distributions."
The investment comes amid a shifting landscape in Japan for bitcoin and blockchain. As the government looks to clarify its position on digital currencies – including a move to classify them as a form of "asset-like value" – some aspects of the administration have begun exploring applications of the technology as well.
Image via Mijin
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
Silver nears $1 billion in volume on Hyperliquid as bitcoin remains frozen: Asia Morning Briefing
Silver perps have more volume on Hyperliquid than SOL or XRP.
What to know:
- Silver futures on the Hyperliquid crypto derivatives exchange have surged to become one of its most active markets, ranking just behind bitcoin and ether in trading volume.
- The SILVER-USDC contract’s high volume, sizable open interest and slightly negative funding suggest traders are using crypto infrastructure for volatility and hedging in macro commodities rather than for directional crypto bets.
- Bitcoin is holding near $88,000 in a "defensive equilibrium" with cooling ETF inflows, uneven derivatives positioning and rising demand for downside protection, while ether lags and capital rotates toward hard assets like gold and silver.
Top Stories
