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If you wanted to buy Bitcoin with cash in Western Japan, you were out of luck. That changes now.
COINHUB Co., Ltd. has installed a bidirectional cryptocurrency ATM at Tennoji MIO, a commercial complex connected to JR Tennoji Station in Osaka. It’s the company’s first machine in the western half of the country, and it lets users both buy and sell crypto assets for cash.
The contract for the installation was signed on June 18, 2026.
Why Tennoji MIO matters
Tennoji MIO sits directly on top of JR Tennoji Station, one of Osaka’s major transit hubs. Placing a crypto ATM inside a busy commercial complex signals a particular strategy: COINHUB wants crypto transactions to feel as mundane as grabbing a bento box on your way home from work.
Japan remains one of the most cash-heavy developed economies in the world. ATMs that bridge physical yen and digital assets occupy a unique niche that pure-play exchange apps simply can’t fill.
COINHUB’s rapid expansion across Japan
COINHUB launched what it calls Japan’s first FSA-regulated crypto ATM network back in 2025. That initial rollout placed 25 machines across six major cities.
The company operates as part of the One World Holdings network and holds regulatory approval from the FSA, Japan’s financial watchdog. That distinction matters. Operating under FSA oversight means COINHUB’s machines comply with Japan’s know-your-customer and anti-money-laundering requirements, a bar that has kept most international crypto ATM operators out of the market entirely.
COINHUB is targeting a nationwide fleet of 3,000 ATMs. Going from 25 machines to 3,000 is a 120x increase. For comparison, the entire United States, a country with roughly 2.5 times Japan’s population, has around 30,000 crypto ATMs. COINHUB is essentially betting it can build 10% of the current US network within a single country.
The bidirectional functionality of these ATMs also deserves attention. Many crypto ATMs globally are one-way only, letting users buy but not sell. COINHUB’s machines allow both directions: you can walk up, insert cash, and receive Bitcoin, or you can send Bitcoin and walk away with yen bills in your hand.
What this means for crypto adoption in Japan
Japan was one of the first major economies to regulate digital assets, recognizing Bitcoin as legal property back in 2017. It suffered one of crypto’s most infamous exchange hacks with Mt. Gox.
There are risks to watch. Crypto ATMs globally have faced scrutiny over fees, with some operators charging spreads north of 10% on transactions. COINHUB hasn’t publicly detailed its fee structure for the Tennoji MIO machine.
There’s also the execution risk inherent in any company promising a 120x scaling of physical infrastructure. Securing retail partnerships, managing compliance across prefectures, and maintaining hardware at scale are operationally complex challenges that don’t disappear just because the regulatory green light is on.
Disclosure: This article was edited by Editorial Team. For more information on how we create and review content, see our Editorial Policy.
English (US) · 