Binance plans to secure five new regulatory licenses across Asia this year as it leans harder into the APAC market. If it hits that target, the exchange will hold approvals in more than 20 jurisdictions worldwide. The move comes as Asia‑Pacific continues to lead the world in crypto trading and adoption.
What Binance Is Planning in Asia
According to SB Seker, the CEO of Binance for Asia-Pacific, the business hopes to get five more licenses in the Asia-Pacific region by the end of 2026. He told Nikkei Asia about the proposal, and many Bitcoin news sites later echoed his remarks. Seker stated that some applications are nearing completion, while others are still in discussions with local regulators. However, he did not say which countries they were trying to enter.
Binance currently holds permits in Australia, India, Indonesia, Japan, New Zealand, and Thailand. Binance anticipates adding South Korea to its list after completing its acquisition of local exchange Gopax, which still requires regulatory approval. It would expand its regulated footprint in Asia by adding five more licenses, a time when trade volumes in the region are steadily increasing.
Seker described the approach as “hyperlocalization,” meaning Binance adapts products, KYC rules, and banking links to each market instead of pushing a single global model. That often involves creating local entities and building on‑the‑ground compliance teams that deal directly with domestic supervisors.
Why Binance Is Betting on APAC
Over 300 million accounts have been registered globally, according to Binance, which views Asia-Pacific as its main development region. Countries like Thailand, Japan, Indonesia, and India already have high user traffic and are promoting new rules rather than complete prohibitions. If exchanges wish to continue providing long-term services to those users, they must obtain a local license as more Asian governments implement formal licensing regimes.
The U.S. and Europe continue to question Binance’s progress in Asia regarding anti-money-laundering regulations and penalties.
Some MPs want to investigate new evidence showing that people previously claimed to have visited sanctioned areas. Binance says it cut reported exposure to these places by more than 96% between 2024 and 2025 after tightening compliance, which goes against what those people say.
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