Binance Japan appoints Cega co-founder Arisa Toyosaki as new head

Binance Japan appointed Arisa Toyosaki, co-founder of the DeFi structured products protocol Cega, as general manager and representative director effective July 1. She replaces Takeshi Chino, who had led the exchange since July 2022 and will shift to the role of honorary chairman and director.

Before Cega, Toyosaki worked as a derivatives trader at UBS. The protocol she co-founded built structured investment products on-chain. Cega raised over $9 million in funding, including a $4.3 million seed round at a $60 million valuation. Before being acquired and eventually sunset in late 2024, the platform processed roughly $500 million in trading volume.

Under Chino, Binance Japan launched its services in 2023 and 2024 after the global exchange bought Sakura Exchange Bitcoin Co., a licensed Japanese entity that gave Binance its regulatory foothold in the country. The biggest move during Chino's tenure came in October 2025, when PayPay, Japan's dominant mobile payment platform backed by SoftBank, acquired a 40% stake in Binance Japan.

The appointment puts Toyosaki in charge of an exchange that now has a deep-pocketed local partner. PayPay's 40% stake implies more than financial backing – the payment app's 60 million-plus users could become a funnel for crypto adoption. Toyosaki's background bridging traditional finance and DeFi may help drive that integration.

Binance Japan competes with homegrown exchanges such as bitFlyer, Coincheck (owned by Monex Group), and GMO Coin. While Binance has global brand recognition, local rivals have spent years building trust with Japanese consumers. Toyosaki inherits both the opportunity and the challenge.