Key Takeaways
- • Arisa Toyosaki, co-founder of DeFi protocol Cega, has been appointed as the new General Manager and Representative Director of Binance Japan, effective July 1, 2026, leading the exchange's next phase of growth in the Japanese market.
- • Binance Japan officially launched cryptocurrency exchange services following the company's acquisition and rebranding of Sakura Exchange Bitcoin (SEBC), marking the global crypto giant's formal re-entry into Japan after prior regulatory warnings.
- • The Binance Japan platform currently supports 34 cryptocurrency types, including BNB (not previously available in Japan), positioning it as the largest exchange in Japan by cryptocurrency offerings at launch, surpassing BitTrade's 31 listings.
- • Binance Japan offers spot trading, deposits/withdrawals in Japanese yen and crypto assets, lending services, auto-invest features, NFT marketplace access, and plans to expand to derivatives trading including futures in the future.
- • Toyosaki brings Web 3.0 entrepreneurial experience from Cega, which raised $9.3 million to develop user-friendly DeFi structured products and exotic derivatives for retail investors.
Summary
Binance has appointed Arisa Toyosaki, co-founder of DeFi protocol Cega, as General Manager and Representative Director of Binance Japan, effective July 1, 2026. The appointment signals the exchange's strategic commitment to strengthening its leadership and operations in Japan following its formal market entry through the acquisition and rebranding of Sakura Exchange Bitcoin (SEBC) to Binance Japan Co., Ltd.
Toyosaki is a globally active Japanese Web 3.0 entrepreneur whose background in DeFi derivatives positions her to oversee Binance Japan's expansion strategy. At Cega, she co-founded a decentralized finance protocol that has raised $9.3 million to develop accessible, lower-risk structured products targeting retail investors in the DeFi ecosystem. Her experience building user-friendly options and exotic derivatives aligns with Binance Japan's stated objective to eventually offer derivative trading services, including futures.
Binance Japan officially launched its cryptocurrency exchange platform with support for 34 cryptocurrency types—the highest offering among Japanese exchanges at launch. The platform includes BNB, which had not been previously available through Japanese-regulated exchanges. This surpasses competitor BitTrade, which offered 31 cryptocurrency types. The exchange provides spot trading, Japanese yen deposits and withdrawals (with full yen withdrawal capability launching August 20, 2026), cryptocurrency lending through "Simple Earn," auto-investment features, an NFT marketplace, and API connectivity. Binance Japan announced plans to expand both cryptocurrency offerings and introduce derivatives trading services.
The launch represents Binance's formal re-entry into Japan after the exchange faced regulatory warnings in 2025 regarding unauthorized activities. The acquisition and operational restructuring of SEBC provided the regulatory pathway for Binance to establish a licensed presence in the Japanese market. Existing Binance users with global accounts can apply to transfer to the Binance Japan platform beginning June 14, 2026, with full migration capability commencing December 1, 2026. Certain cryptocurrencies previously offered under SEBC—including Symbol (XYM), Monacoin (MONA), Flare (FLR), and Cosplay Token (COT)—will be discontinued under the new platform.
Toyosaki is a globally active Japanese Web 3.0 entrepreneur whose background in DeFi derivatives positions her to oversee Binance Japan's expansion strategy. At Cega, she co-founded a decentralized finance protocol that has raised $9.3 million to develop accessible, lower-risk structured products targeting retail investors in the DeFi ecosystem. Her experience building user-friendly options and exotic derivatives aligns with Binance Japan's stated objective to eventually offer derivative trading services, including futures.
Binance Japan officially launched its cryptocurrency exchange platform with support for 34 cryptocurrency types—the highest offering among Japanese exchanges at launch. The platform includes BNB, which had not been previously available through Japanese-regulated exchanges. This surpasses competitor BitTrade, which offered 31 cryptocurrency types. The exchange provides spot trading, Japanese yen deposits and withdrawals (with full yen withdrawal capability launching August 20, 2026), cryptocurrency lending through "Simple Earn," auto-investment features, an NFT marketplace, and API connectivity. Binance Japan announced plans to expand both cryptocurrency offerings and introduce derivatives trading services.
The launch represents Binance's formal re-entry into Japan after the exchange faced regulatory warnings in 2025 regarding unauthorized activities. The acquisition and operational restructuring of SEBC provided the regulatory pathway for Binance to establish a licensed presence in the Japanese market. Existing Binance users with global accounts can apply to transfer to the Binance Japan platform beginning June 14, 2026, with full migration capability commencing December 1, 2026. Certain cryptocurrencies previously offered under SEBC—including Symbol (XYM), Monacoin (MONA), Flare (FLR), and Cosplay Token (COT)—will be discontinued under the new platform.
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