Is KuCoin available in Japan?
KuCoin is not registered with Japan's Financial Services Agency (FSA) and is not authorised to offer services to residents of Japan. The FSA has issued public warnings that KuCoin solicits Japanese residents without registration, and in February 2025 it asked Apple and Google to suspend downloads of the KuCoin app in Japan.
Information, not advice. This is general information, not legal, tax, or financial advice. Verify the current rules with a qualified local professional and the official regulator before acting.
How we checked this. We set this status by reading the platform's own terms of use and country eligibility, and the public register kept by the named regulator, then dated the result. Availability can change, so confirm directly with the platform and the regulator before acting. As of 26 June 2026.
As of June 2026, KuCoin is not available to residents of Japan. Japan requires crypto asset exchange operators to register with the Financial Services Agency (FSA) under the Payment Services Act, and KuCoin does not hold that registration. The FSA named KuCoin in public warnings, including in November 2024 and again in 2026, and in February 2025 asked Apple and Google to suspend downloads of the app in Japan. Residents who want a regulated platform can use an exchange registered with the FSA instead.
Availability for Japanese residents
As of 14 June 2026, KuCoin is not registered with the Financial Services Agency (FSA), the regulator for crypto asset exchange services in Japan under the Payment Services Act. Japan requires any operator that provides crypto asset exchange services to residents of Japan to register with the FSA, and registered operators also belong to the Japan Virtual and Crypto assets Exchange Association (JVCEA), the self regulatory body. KuCoin does not hold an FSA registration, so it cannot lawfully solicit or serve residents of Japan.
The FSA has named KuCoin in public warnings. In November 2024 it warned that KuCoin was conducting crypto asset exchange business with Japanese residents without registration, and it issued a further warning concerning the solicitation of over the counter derivatives. In February 2025 the FSA asked Apple and Google to suspend downloads of the KuCoin app in Japan, alongside other unregistered platforms.
Because KuCoin is not available to residents of Japan, this page does not link to it for Japan. Residents who want a regulated service can use one of the exchanges that are registered with the FSA, such as the domestic platforms listed on the Japan best exchanges page.
Access, apps, and what users report
Because KuCoin is not registered with the FSA, it cannot offer a compliant Japanese yen on ramp to residents, and the FSA has asked Apple and Google to suspend downloads of its app in Japan. A platform reached outside the registered system does not carry the asset segregation, cold storage, and customer protection obligations that registered Japanese exchanges must meet.
A resident who wants a regulated service should use an exchange registered with the FSA and a member of the Japan Virtual and Crypto assets Exchange Association. The compliant alternatives below genuinely serve residents of Japan as of June 2026.
Why Japan blocks unregistered platforms
Japan was among the first countries to license crypto exchanges, and its regime is strict. A registered crypto asset exchange service provider must meet asset segregation, cold storage, anti money laundering, and know your customer requirements, and must belong to the Japan Virtual and Crypto assets Exchange Association, the self regulatory body recognised by the FSA. Foreign platforms that have not registered are not permitted to solicit Japanese residents, which is the basis for the FSA warnings against KuCoin.
Residents sometimes reach unregistered platforms through a web browser or a virtual private network, but doing so falls outside the protections of the registered system and can carry legal and financial risk. This page does not recommend bypassing the rules.
How crypto is taxed in Japan
How crypto is taxed in Japan is administered by the National Tax Agency. In general terms, profits from crypto for an individual are treated as miscellaneous income and can be taxed at progressive rates, and the position depends on personal circumstances. Treatment can change, so confirm the current rules before filing.
See the Japan crypto tax page for a general explanation. This is general information, not tax advice (as of 14 June 2026).
KuCoin is not registered with the Financial Services Agency and is not available to residents of Japan, so this page does not link to it for Japan. The platforms below are registered with the FSA and genuinely serve residents of Japan.
Regulator and sources
The regulator in Japan is the Financial Services Agency (FSA), working with the Japan Virtual and Crypto assets Exchange Association (JVCEA), the self regulatory body. The position below is stated as of 14 June 2026 and should be confirmed on the primary sources.
- Financial Services Agency (FSA), public warnings that KuCoin conducts crypto asset exchange business with Japanese residents without registration, November 2024 and a further warning in 2026.
- Financial Services Agency, request to Apple and Google to suspend downloads of unregistered exchange apps in Japan, February 2025.
- Financial Services Agency, registry of crypto asset exchange service providers under the Payment Services Act.
- Japan Virtual and Crypto assets Exchange Association (JVCEA), the self regulatory body for registered Japanese exchanges.
Frequently asked questions
Is KuCoin available in Japan?
As of 14 June 2026, no. KuCoin is not registered with Japan's Financial Services Agency under the Payment Services Act, so it cannot lawfully solicit or serve residents of Japan. This page does not link to it for Japan.
Why is KuCoin not available in Japan?
KuCoin has not registered with the Financial Services Agency. The FSA warned in November 2024 that KuCoin was serving Japanese residents without registration, issued a further warning in 2026 on over the counter derivatives, and in February 2025 asked Apple and Google to suspend downloads of the app in Japan.
Which crypto exchanges are legal in Japan?
Exchanges registered with the Financial Services Agency and members of the Japan Virtual and Crypto assets Exchange Association can lawfully serve residents of Japan. See the Japan best exchanges page.
Is it legal to own crypto in Japan?
Yes. Buying, holding, and selling crypto through a registered exchange is legal in Japan, supervised by the Financial Services Agency. The question on this page is the registration of the KuCoin platform, not whether owning crypto is allowed.
How is crypto taxed in Japan?
Crypto profits for an individual are generally treated as miscellaneous income by the National Tax Agency and can be taxed at progressive rates. See the Japan crypto tax page. This is general information, not tax advice.
Rules change frequently. Exchange registration and availability in Japan can change at short notice. The Financial Services Agency updates its registry and its warning list, and a platform can register or face further action quickly. The position on this page is dated 14 June 2026. Confirm the current status of KuCoin with the Financial Services Agency and the platform before you act.
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