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Bybit, the globe’s second-largest cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume, has stated it will suspend new user registrations in Japan commencing Oct. 31, as it adjusts to new regulations from the nation’s Financial Services Agency (FSA).
The firm indicated that this action is part of its “proactive strategy” to conform with Japan’s evolving regulatory framework for digital assets, as stated in a Wednesday announcement.
“Bybit has consistently pledged to operate responsibly and comply with local regulations and expectations,” the exchange remark.
Current Japanese users will remain unaffected for the time being, with all existing services continuing to function. Bybit mentioned that it will provide additional updates as negotiations with regulators advance.
Related: Circle’s Arc draws in South Korea’s initial won-backed stablecoin initiative
Japan’s FSA considers permitting banks to hold Bitcoin
Recently, it was reported that the FSA is contemplating regulatory changes that would enable banks to acquire and hold cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin (BTC) and manage licensed crypto exchanges.
The proposition will be evaluated in an upcoming Financial Services Council assembly, aimed at aligning digital assets with conventional instruments like stocks and government securities.
The FSA is anticipated to create a framework addressing risks linked to crypto price volatility, possibly necessitating banks to fulfill new capital and risk-management criteria before holding digital assets. This initiative could pave the way for broader institutional adoption within Japan’s regulated banking landscape.
Cointelegraph reached out to Bybit for input but had not received a reply by the time of publication.
Related: Japanese mega banks to collaboratively issue yen-pegged stablecoin: Report
Japan’s regulations spur crypto exodus
In July, Maksym Sakharov, co-founder and CEO of decentralized on-chain bank WeFi, informed Cointelegraph that Japan’s regulatory hurdles, not taxes, are the actual reason behind the exodus of crypto innovation from the nation.
Sakharov stated that even if the proposed 20% flat tax on crypto earnings is put into effect, Japan’s “slow, prescriptive, and risk-averse” approval culture will persist in driving startups and liquidity overseas.
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