Coincheck, the NASDAQ-listed Japanese crypto exchange, has launched Coincheck Prime, a new custody service specifically designed for corporate and institutional investors. The platform targets high-value clients with deposit balances of at least 10 million yen ($66,763) and offers specialized trading and management support. This strategic move comes at a time of increasing corporate interest in cryptocurrency, with Japanese companies increasingly viewing digital assets as a potential hedge against fiat inflation and a means of diversifying their financial portfolios.
The service promises robust security, preferential over-the-counter (OTC) trading rates, and leverages Coincheck’s credibility as a NASDAQ-listed company owned by Monex Group, a Tokyo Stock Exchange Prime Market-listed securities giant. This positioning is particularly significant as the Japanese corporate landscape rapidly embraces cryptocurrency investments. Notable firms like Value Creation, Metaplanet, SBC Medical Group, and Remixpoint have already begun allocating significant portions of their balance sheets to Bitcoin and alternative cryptocurrencies, with some companies like Metaplanet ambitiously targeting 10,000 BTC in holdings by year-end.
Coincheck’s timing appears strategic, with the company reporting total customer assets of 1.29 trillion yen (over $8.6 billion) as of January 2025 and claiming the top spot in Bitcoin spot trading volume in the latter half of 2024. The Prime service also positions the exchange to potentially support institutional investors in preparation for potential future government approval of crypto spot ETFs. This move reflects the broader trend of mainstream financial institutions increasingly integrating cryptocurrency services to meet growing institutional demand.
