Tokyo-based largest Bitcoin (TIKER: BTC.EXANTE) exchange bitFlyer became the fourth digital currency exchange to receive a "BitLicense" to operate in New York and 40 other US States, CNBC reported.
Coinbase, Circle and Ripple are the three other exchanges with a "BitLicense," which is granted by New York's Department of Financial Services.
"Bitcoin in 2018 transitions from something that is viewed as a social phenomenon and very quickly transitions into an established institutional phenomenon," Bartek Ringwelski, bitFlyer's U.S. COO, told CNBC.
"As regulation increases in the space people are going to feel more and more comfortable about Bitcoin."
BitFlyer plans to offer zero percent trading fees in the U.S. through the end of this year. The exchange plans to add support for Litecoin (TIKER: LTC/USD.CRC), Ethereum (TIKER: ETH/USD.CRC), Ethereum Classic (TIKER: ETC/USD.CRC) and other digital currencies in early 2018.
The exchange has raised $36 million in venture capital. Its investors include Digital Currency Group, Mizuho Financial Group and Mitsubishi UFJ Capital, according to Crunchbase.