6 Best Crypto Exchanges In Japan

Here’s something you may not realize: the cryptocurrency exchange you choose matters. Your choice will impact how profitable your trades are, how easily you can buy and sell coins, and whether you can use it in Japan at all.

Fortunately, I've been investing in crypto for more than 9 years, and I frequently update my list of the top platforms below. So if you’re looking for a safe and secure crypto exchange that’s easy to use, supports the Japanese yen, and is compatible with the biggest financial institutions in Japan, you’ve come to the right place.

Here are my top picks for the best crypto exchanges Japan has to offer.

1. Crypto.com

Best For Altcoins

Trading fees: 0.4% Security: 95% cold storage Signup bonus: $10 Trade with 10x leverage.

★★★★ Rated 4.3/5

Crypto.com is a major global player that brings a mature, proven exchange to experienced crypto investors. It supports 100+ cryptocurrencies, making it an ideal fit for anyone looking to invest in undiscovered altcoins before the masses.

Crypto.com offers some unique features that no other cryptocurrency exchange can match. Users can trade options and futures contracts, earn interest by staking their coins, and make trades with up to 10x leverage when they feel particularly confident in a coin.

Crypto.com also has invested an enormous amount of money into its platform's security, making trading with them extremely safe. The exchange is lightning quick (prices update dozens of times per second), which gives day traders an upper hand over the rest of the market.

Overall, Crypto.com is a solid exchange for investors looking to cash in on brand-new altcoins.

Features

• Average trading fees (0.4%)
• Supports 100+ cryptocurrencies
• Allows up to 10x leverage
• Trade crypto derivatives (futures and options contracts)
• Earn daily interest by staking your coins
• Purchase newly-listed coins at up to 50% off
• Free deposits from all cryptocurrencies

Cost

• Account Opening: Free
• Trading Fees: 0.4%

Best For

Investors looking to buy altcoins and other new crypto assets before they go mainstream.

2. CoinSmart

Very Secure

Total Fees: ~3% Security: 95% cold storage Signup bonus: $50 Great bonus but high fees.

★★★★ Rated 4.4/5

CoinSmart supports 16 cryptocurrencies, verifies accounts instantly, prides itself on its helpful customer service reps, and has a beautiful, well-rated app.

As a Canadian exchange, CoinSmart is regulated by several Canadian financial authorities, which keeps your money safe and secure. CoinSmart is also a publicly-traded company on Toronto’s NEO stock exchange, which means they’re subject to third-party financial and security audits at least once per year.

I've personally used CoinSmart for over a year, and I’ve had nothing but excellent experiences with them. I've tried out many of the other cryptocurrency exchanges on this list, so I'm confident that CoinSmart is a solid, reputable platform for most crypto investors.

From now until November 18, 2024, CoinSmart is offering a $50 signup bonus to Yore Oyster readers who fund their accounts with $200 or more. If you’re looking for a highly-respected exchange that offers the lowest fees, excellent customer service, and a slick mobile app, open a CoinSmart account today.

Features

• Extremely low trading fees (just 0.20% per trade)
• 24/7 customer support available via phone, live chat or email
• Instant account verification
• Supports 16 cryptocurrencies
• Immediate deposits and withdrawals
• User-friendly for both beginners and advanced traders
• 95% cold storage policy keeps your crypto extra secure

Cost

• Account Opening: Free
• Trading Fees: 0.20%

Signup Bonus

$50 bonus when you sign up using the link below and the CoinSmart promo code YOREOYSTER

Best For

Investors looking to trade stablecoins or altcoins with some of the industry’s lowest fees.

3. Liquid.com

Liquid.com is a cryptocurrency trading platform based in Tokyo, Japan. It supports 10 fiat currencies, including USD, JPY, SGD, and HKD, and over 100+ crypto assets. It was founded in 2014 and consistently ranks among the top 10 exchanges in the world – in terms of volume and liquidity. On top of the spot trading platform, it also supports margin trading with up to 25x leverage on select crypto assets.

In terms of fees, Liquid is ahead of many exchanges – for starters, it doesn’t charge fees for depositing any of their 10 supported fiat currencies or the 100+ supported cryptocurrencies. For crypto withdrawals, you only pay network fees (0.0005 BTC for Bitcoin), and for fiat withdrawals, the fee ranges from 0.1% – 0.55% depending on the method you choose.

Liquid.com uses a tiered maker/take fee system based on volume. Taker’s fees start at 0.30% and can go as low as 0.03% (or even lower if you pay using QASH). Maker’s fees are lower, starting at 0.20%, and users can get up to a 50% rebate by referring friends – coupled with the trading volume rebate, it’s very easy to list your crypto without paying any fee.

Features

• Margin trading
• Supports 100+ cryptocurrencies
• Supports 10+ fiat currencies
• Customer support available 24/7
• Up to 25x leverage
• 95% Cold storage policy
• Secured with Multi-party computation (MPC) protocols

Cost

• Maker’s Fees: From 0.20% to 0.0% (based on 30-day trading volume)
• Taker’s Fees: From 0.30% to 0.03% (based on 30-day trading volume)
• Deposit Fees (Crypto): Free
• Withdrawal Fee (Crypto): Depends on the crypto (0.0005 BTC for Bitcoin)
• Deposit Fees (Fiat): Free
• Withdrawal Fee (Fiat): From 0.0% to 0.55% (depending on the method)

4. Changelly

Changelly is a non-custodial crypto exchange service based in Prague, Czech Republic. Established in 2016, it doesn’t offer services as a wallet – you’ll need to link a wallet before you can purchase crypto – but rather it finds you the best deals for your crypto by indexing a number of exchanges.

With over 3 million monthly users, Changelly is partnered with crypto giants like Binance and crypto wallets like Trezor and Exodus and offers very low fees starting at 0.25%. It supports 200 of the largest cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin, Ethereum, Ripple, and Litecoin, and to start trading, you don’t have to complete a KYC verification, which means you can sign up just with your email

Changelly offers many payment methods, including Visa, Mastercard, Apple Pay and bank transfers. If you refer a friend you can receive 2% on all fiat-to-crypto transactions and 0.125% on all crypto-to-crypto transactions

Features

• Integration with various crypto wallets
• Supports 200 cryptocurrencies
• 24/7 customer support available via live chat or email
• Accepts Visa, Mastercard, Apple Pay and bank transfers

Cost

• Account Opening: 
• Floating Rate Fee: 0.25%
• Fixed Rate Fee: 0.25%
• Withdrawal Fees: Free
• Account Management Fees: Free

Signup Bonus

2% back on fiat-to-crypto transactions and 0.125% back on crypto-to-crypto transactions

Best For

Investors looking for the lowest deals on crypto and no KYC verification requirements.

5. Bybit

Bybit is a crypto exchange with a wide range of trading tools, and it is one of the few exchanges that offers access to crypto derivatives, such as futures. Its trading fees start at 0.1%, and withdrawal fees vary depending on the cryptocurrency.

Bybit supports 15 of the largest cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Ethereum, and Litecoin. Additionally, it stores 100% of your funds in cold storage, and reviews each withdrawal request to prevent unauthorized transactions. 

As a new Bybit user you’ll receive a $40 bonus after funding your account. You also have the option to place up to 100x leverage on your crypto trades.

Features

• Advanced trading options
• Supports 15 cryptocurrencies
• 100x leverage on crypto
• Access to charts and data
• Demo account and test-net environment
• Educational resources
• 24/7 multilingual customer support available 
• Instant account verification

Cost

• Account Opening: Free
• Trading Fees: From 0.1% to 1.0%
• Withdrawal Fees: Depends on the currency
• Derivatives Fees: From 0.01% to 0.06%
• Maker’s Rebate: 0.025%
• Taker’s Fees: 0.075%

Signup Bonus

None

Best For

Knowledgeable investors looking for crypto trading, top-level security and derivatives.

6. Okcoin

Launched in 2013, Okcoin is a California-based American exchange with over 100,000 crypto investors across 190+ countries. It supports 70+ crypto assets, including the biggest like Bitcoin and Ethereum, but also altcoins and lesser-known blockchain protocols.

Okcoin doesn’t charge trading fees – instead, it uses a volume-based fee system, where makers are charged 0.1% – 0.0% (based on the last 30-day trading volume) and takers are charged 0.2% – 0.02%, also based on volume. 

Okcoin is available worldwide and supports SEPA payment deposits in Europe and electronic fund transfers (using the ACH network) in the U.S. One of Okcoin’s best features is its staking platform, where investors can lock in one of the supported cryptos (for a fixed term) and earn up to 17% APY, depending on the asset (10% for BTC).

Fiat deposits using debit cards are on the high side – you can end up paying up 3.99%, so it’s recommended, whenever possible, that you use a different deposit method. Okcoin is licensed in the US and registered with the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN).

Features

• Supports 70+ cryptocurrencies
• Quick verification process
• Set up automatic purchases using dollar-cost averaging
• Available on Android (4.1/5 rating) and iOS (4/5 rating)
• Okcoin Earn (Up to 10% APY on BTC deposits)

Cost

• Trading Fees: Free
• Spread: 1% – 1.5%
• Maker’s Fees: From 0.1% to 0.0% (based on trading volume)
• Taker’s Fees: From 0.2% to 0.02% (based on trading volume)
• Debit Card Deposit Fees: 3.99%

What To Look For In A Great Japanese Crypto Exchange

I consider many different factors in my search for the best Japanese crypto exchange. Here are just a few of the more prominent ones:

• Supported coins: The best Japanese crypto exchanges support a wide variety of coins—at least 20 or 30—including all the major coins like Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Dogecoin. Platforms that add new coins regularly tend to be more customer-focused overall, making this a strong indicator of a forward-thinking exchange.
• User interface: Choosing a platform with an easy-to-use trading interface is important, especially for beginners. If you're a seasoned crypto investor, you'll also want to look out for exchanges that offer more advanced features like advanced order types and transaction exports for tax purposes.
• Fees: All crypto exchanges charge fees (both in the form of trading commissions and bid-ask spreads), and they can vary by a wide margin. I've specifically chosen low-fee platforms here to help you maximize your profits.
• Regulation: It's much safer to trade with a well-regulated exchange than an unregulated one, especially when markets aren't moving in your favor. Depositors' insurance is another safeguard offered by some exchanges, which keeps your assets safe even if the platform itself faces liquidity issues.
• Deposit & withdrawal options: The exchange you choose should offer a variety of payment methods (bank transfers, debit/credit cards, PayPal, etc.) to ensure you can easily transfer funds in and out of your account. The more options you have, the better.
• Security: Look for an exchange that strictly enforces multiple layers of security, such as two-factor authentication and at least 95% cold storage. Additional security measures like daily offsite backups, third-party security audits, and email confirmations on transactions make your account even more secure.
• Customer support: The best crypto exchanges pride themselves on having well-trained, responsive support teams who can help users through any problems that come up. I pay particular attention to the channels each exchange offers support through, response times, the thoroughness and helpfulness of their responses, and user feedback on the customer support they've received.

In Summary

Choosing the best cryptocurrency exchange in Japan isn’t easy, given all the options out there and the different features each of them offers. As an avid crypto investor myself, I diligently keep up with the movements of the top exchanges in Japan, and have made my selections below based on years of research and personal experience.

Crypto.com is the favorite among knowledgeable Japanese crypto investors, both for its high level of security and for its ease of use. Crypto.com's fees are also extremely low, so if you’re looking for a secure, cost-effective way to buy and sell crypto in Japan, I can’t recommend Crypto.com highly enough.

Best Crypto Exchange Japan FAQs

Which Japanese crypto exchange has the lowest fees?

The Japanese crypto exchange with the lowest fees is Crypto.com or CoinSmart, depending on the specific crypto assets you're trading. In most cases, Crypto.com will be the cheapest option.

What’s the best crypto wallet in Japan?

The best crypto wallet is the Ledger Nano S hardware wallet. It is the best way to keep your private keys secure and, more importantly, offline. All Ledger wallets are certified by the French National Agency of Security and are among the safest and most cost-efficient wallets out there, and they support 1,200+ crypto assets, coins, and tokens.

What’s the best altcoin exchange in Japan?

The best altcoin exchange in Japan is one of Crypto.com or CoinSmart. All of them support a wide variety of cryptocurrencies and regularly add more of the altcoins Japanese investors are looking for.

What is the safest crypto wallet in Japan?

The Ledger Nano S is the safest wallet available today. All Ledger wallets far exceed industry standards for security: they use tamper-resistant Certified Secure Element (SE) with Common Criteria (CC) EAL5+ chips on their nanodevices, which means your private key stays on the secure chip. It also has a proprietary operating system called Blockchain Open Ledger Operating System (BOLOS) that's successfully undergone audits from the French National Agency of Security, many other government agencies, as well as regular audits from independent security organizations. 

What’s the safest crypto exchange in Japan?

The safest cryptocurrency exchange in Japan is Crypto.com. They strictly enforce bank-level security protocols, run on servers in secure locations around the world, and undergo frequent financial and security audits to ensure all of their users’ assets are completely safe. They also have some of the lowest fees of any platform in Japan and are known for being a reputable, trustworthy exchange.

How Can I Sell Bitcoin In Japan?

There are several ways to sell Bitcoin in Japan, though the easiest is to sell it directly from the crypto wallet or exchange you’re holding it on. Remember to be cautious whenever you transfer coins between wallets, since blockchain transactions are irreversible.

What crypto exchange is best for beginners in Japan?

The best crypto exchange for beginners in Japan is Crypto.com, followed by CoinSmart. Both are ideal for beginners because they verify accounts instantly, have easy-to-use trading platforms, and provide great customer support in case you need any help along the way.

Is cryptocurrency legal in Japan?

Yes, cryptocurrency is legal in Japan, and you can buy, sell and use crypto without breaking the law. However, cryptocurrency is not currently considered legal tender in Japan, which means the Japanese government and Japanese businesses are not legally obligated to accept it as payment for goods and services.

What’s the best crypto app in Japan?

The best crypto app in Japan is Crypto.com. Its mobile app is very easy to use, has a nice, modern interface, and has very good ratings and reviews on both the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store. If you live in a country like Jordan or Jamaica instead, you’ll have to double-check to ensure you can get the Crypto.com app in your local app store.

What is the best crypto exchange for day trading in Japan?

The best crypto exchange for day trading in Japan is Crypto.com, since it has low trading fees, tight spreads, and its prices update multiple times per second, giving day traders an upper hand over the rest of the market.

Can the Japanese government track cryptocurrency?

Yes. Just like in places like Brazil, India, Bulgaria and even Cambodia, the Japanese tax authorities can track cryptocurrency trades and transactions—and not only when your digital assets interact with real-world institutions like banks. Some exchanges in Japan are required by law to provide the government with information about their users’ transactions, including purchase price, purchase date, sale value, and all associated KYC data. If your tax returns don’t match the data the government receives from these exchanges, you may receive a fine.