Brave Browser Partners With bitFlyer to Expand BAT’s Reach in Japan

Crypto trading platform bitFlyer is developing a digital wallet for Brave browser users in Japan, the companies announced Thursday. 

BitFlyer, which claims to be Japan’s largest cryptocurrency exchange by bitcoin trading volume, has partnered with the privacy-focused browser’s subsidiary, Brave Software International SEZC, which performs token operations, to offer the wallet feature to users of both companies.

Ryotaro Chikaki, Brave’s chief marketing officer for Asia, told CoinDesk via email that the wallet feature was already available to Brave users outside Japan, and that the development of a crypto wallet is essential to “realize a new ecosystem.” 

“We decided to work with bitFlyer as they’re the largest exchange in Japan with high trust by users for its security standard,” Chikaki said. “Also, they are one of the key players in crypto-asset and blockchain technology. For Brave, it was a natural choice to work with them to expand our ecosystem in Japan.”

In a press statement, bitFlyer said it listed Brave’s basic attention token (BAT) in April 2020 and will now be Brave’s first crypto wallet partner in Japan.

“By leveraging the expertise and security that has characterized us since 2014, we will build a crypto asset wallet for Brave browser users to make owning and storing crypto as convenient as possible,” a bitFlyer spokesperson told CoinDesk via email. 

Earlier this year, Brave partnered with Binance to build an in-browser crypto trading tool, and was later involved in a controversy where the secure browser automatically added a URL tag when users typed “Binance” into the browser, suggesting visits to the exchange were being tracked.   

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