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§ Private Profile · Midtown Tower, 9-7-1 Akasaka, Minato-ku, Tokyo 107-6230
A global cryptocurrency exchange offering secure digital asset trading for retail and institutional users, focused on blockchain technology.
BitFlyer has raised $32.3M across 4 funding rounds.
Key people at BitFlyer.
BitFlyer has raised $32.3M in total across 4 funding rounds.
BitFlyer is a cryptocurrency exchange and blockchain technology company based in Tokyo, Japan, that provides a platform for retail and institutional users to trade digital assets. The organization generates revenue primarily through trading fees, transaction spreads, and institutional crypto services across its markets in Asia, Europe, and the United States. Operating with a workforce of over 200 employees, the platform has amassed more than three million registered users globally and managed approximately $8 billion in assets under management as of 2021. The company has secured over $35 million in venture funding from prominent institutional investors including Mitsubishi UFJ Capital, SMBC Venture Capital, and SBI Investment. In June 2024, the firm expanded its institutional services and crypto custody capabilities through the strategic acquisition of FTX Japan. BitFlyer was founded in 2014 by Yuzo Kano and Takafumi Komiyama.
Key people at BitFlyer.
BitFlyer has raised $32.3M in total across 4 funding rounds.
BitFlyer's investors include SBI Investment, Venture Labo Investment, Dentsu Digital Holdings, Mitsubishi UFJ Capital, Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance Venture Capital, QUICK Corporation, Barry Silbert, GMO Venture Partners, RSP Fund No. 5, Digital Currency Group, Draper Associates, GFT Ventures.
BitFlyer has raised $32.3M across 4 funding rounds. Most recently, it raised $27.0M Series C in April 2016.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 26, 2016 | $27M Series C | SBI Investment, Venture Labo Investment | — | Announced |
| Aug 12, 2015 | $4.1M Venture Round | — | Dentsu Digital Holdings, Mitsubishi UFJ Capital, Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance Venture Capital, QUICK Corporation, Venture Labo Investment | Announced |
| Jan 1, 2015 | $1M Series B | Barry Silbert, GMO Venture Partners, RSP Fund NO. 5 | Digital Currency Group, Draper Associates, GFT Ventures, OMERS Ventures, Samsung Next Ventures, SLVC, The HIT Forge, XG Ventures | Announced |
| Oct 1, 2014 | $240K Series B | — | Digital Currency Group, Draper Associates, GFT Ventures, OMERS Ventures, Samsung Next Ventures, SLVC, The HIT Forge, XG Ventures | Announced |
bitFlyer is a leading Japanese cryptocurrency exchange platform that enables users to buy, sell, and trade digital assets like Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Litecoin, while also offering advanced tools such as margin trading, derivatives, and blockchain services.[1][2][3] Headquartered in Tokyo and founded in 2014, it serves over 3.8 million global users across Japan, the US (in 47 states), and the EU, with licenses in all three regions, processing massive volumes like €181 billion in 2022 and maintaining a perfect 7-year no-hack record through cold storage and high security standards.[2][3][4][6] It targets beginners with simple interfaces for low-minimum investments (as little as $1 or €1) and pros with low fees, APIs, and global liquidity access, solving key barriers to crypto adoption like security, ease of use, and accessibility.[3][5][7]
The platform addresses crypto trading friction by providing spot trading, futures, recurring buys, and retailer payment integrations, while its blockchain arm offers "Miyabi" for high-speed enterprise applications like voting and remittances.[1][8] Growth remains strong, with billions in assets under custody and dominance in Japan's BTC/JPY market.[3][6]
bitFlyer was founded on January 9, 2014, in Tokyo by Yuzo Kano, a former Goldman Sachs trader, alongside a team of directors who were reportedly his friends, kickstarting Japan's early crypto boom.[1][4] The idea emerged amid rising Bitcoin interest, launching as a Bitcoin-focused exchange that quickly scaled: by February 2016, it hit 100,000 users and ¥7 billion ($64 million) in monthly volume, becoming Japan's largest Bitcoin platform after raising $36 million in VC funding.[1]
Pivotal moments included international expansion—US in 2017, Europe in 2018—regulatory approvals for institutional sales, and innovations like the Miyabi blockchain in 2016 and bvote voting service in 2020, despite a 2018 money-laundering compliance hiccup that led to temporary suspensions.[1][2] From 150 employees in 2018, it grew to 3+ million users globally, cementing its evolution from a local exchange to a regulated multinational with blockchain consulting.[2][3]
bitFlyer rides the global cryptocurrency mainstreaming trend, bridging traditional finance with blockchain amid rising institutional adoption and regulatory clarity in Japan, the US, and EU.[1][2][7] Its timing capitalized on Japan's 2014-2016 Bitcoin surge and post-2017 global expansion, dominating 80% of Japan's Bitcoin trades by 2018 while navigating AML challenges that strengthened compliance.[1]
Market forces like crypto's volatility, retail investor influx, and demand for secure, regulated platforms favor it—especially in liquidity-starved regions—while its Miyabi BaaS influences enterprise blockchain use cases beyond trading, enabling real-world apps for banks and insurers.[1][8] As a pioneer, it shapes Japan's crypto ecosystem (partnering with Sumitomo Mitsui) and global standards, lowering entry barriers and fostering derivatives innovation.[1][4]
bitFlyer is poised for expansion in a maturing crypto market, likely deepening institutional tools, altcoin support, and BaaS integrations amid trends like tokenized assets, DeFi regulation, and Web3 enterprise adoption.[1][3][8] Regulatory tailwinds in licensed markets could boost volumes beyond 2022 peaks, though competition from broader platforms (e.g., Coinbase) pressures its limited coin selection and volatile fees.[5]
Its influence may evolve toward blockchain infrastructure dominance via Miyabi, powering cross-border finance in Asia-Pacific. With unbreached security and global reach, bitFlyer exemplifies how a Tokyo-founded exchange became crypto's secure gateway—primed to thrive as digital assets integrate deeper into everyday and institutional finance.[2][3][6]
