Huobi Japan

Huobi Japan is a digital asset exchange providing compliant cryptocurrency trading and management services for Japanese users. The company was established after Huobi Group's subsidiary, Huobi Japan Holding Ltd, acquired a majority stake in the licensed Japanese crypto exchange BitTrade in September 2018. Following the acquisition, BitTrade was rebranded to Huobi Japan in February 2019 and relaunched as a fully regulated exchange under Japan's Financial Services Agency (FSA).

The global parent, Huobi Group, was originally founded in China in 2013 by Leon Li, a former computer engineer at Oracle. After China's 2017 ban on crypto exchanges, the group moved its headquarters to Singapore and expanded globally. Huobi Japan's entry into the market was a strategic move to operate within Japan's regulatory framework, as BitTrade was one of the 16 exchanges licensed by the FSA at the time. The current CEO of Huobi Japan is Haiteng Chen.

The platform offers spot trading for cryptocurrencies including Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), Ripple (XRP), and others against the Japanese Yen. In October 2021, Huobi Japan achieved a significant milestone by registering as a Type I Financial Instruments Business. This license, held by a limited number of exchanges in Japan, allows the company to develop, trade, underwrite, and manage cryptocurrency derivatives, moving beyond spot trading. The business generates revenue through trading fees and other financial services related to digital assets. To fuel its expansion, the company has secured investments, including a notable $4.6 million from Tokai Tokyo Financial Holdings in late 2019.

Keywords: crypto asset exchange, digital asset trading, Japanese cryptocurrency market, regulated crypto exchange, Bitcoin trading, Ethereum trading, crypto derivatives, spot trading, Financial Services Agency Japan, FSA licensed, blockchain financial services, Japanese Yen trading, Huobi Token, digital asset management, crypto underwriting, Type I Financial Instruments