Binance enters Japan with Sakura Exchange BitCoin deal

Cryptocurrency exchange operator Binance said on Wednesday it acquired Sakura Exchange BitCoin (SEBC), a crypto exchange service registered in Japan, to expand into the Asian country.

The terms of the transaction were not disclosed by Binance.

Through the acquisition, Binance will be able to operate in the Japanese market as an entity regulated by the Japan Financial Services Agency (JFSA).

Takeshi Chino, general manager of Binance Japan, said, “We will actively work with regulators to develop our combined exchange in a compliant way for local users.”

Binance is a cryptocurrency exchange which is the largest exchange in the world in terms of daily trading volume of cryptocurrencies. It was founded in 2017 and is registered in the Cayman Islands. Binance was founded by Changpeng Zhao, a developer who had previously created high frequency trading software.

Binance has secured regulatory approvals or authorizations in France, Italy, Spain, Bahrain, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, New Zealand, Kazakhstan, Poland, Lithuania and Cyprus. The acquisition of SEBC marks Binance’s first license in East Asia. 

Takeshi Chino, general manager of Binance Japan, said: “The Japanese market will play a key role in the future of cryptocurrency adoption. As one of the world’s leading economies with a highly-developed tech ecosystem, it’s already poised for strong blockchain uptake. We will actively work with regulators to develop our combined exchange in a compliant way for local users. We are eager to help Japan take a leading role in crypto.”

SEBC is a JFSA-registered crypto exchange that offers its customers consultation services in addition to its brokerage service. The Tokyo-based exchange currently supports 11 trading pairs: BTC/JPY, ETH/JPY, BCH/JPY, XRP/JPY, LTC/JPY, ETC/JPY, XEM/JPY, MONA/JPY, ADA/JPY, XYM/JPY, and COT/JPY.

Hitomi Yamamoto, CEO of SEBC, said: “We are honored and delighted to make this announcement with Binance, one of the world’s leading crypto asset exchange service providers. On top of our effort to prioritize user protection, Binance’s strong compliance system will contribute to building a more compliant atmosphere for users in Japan and help them access key crypto services needed for mass adoption in the future.”