Noriyuki Hirosue

According to Hirosue’s own account in a conference speaker profile, he began his career at Nomura Securities, later became fascinated by the Internet and spent many years launching and managing IT start-ups, serving as executive Managing Director of GMO Internet, President and Representative Director of GaLa, and CEO of Commuca.⁠[1][1]

He says that in 2012 he became convinced that crypto asset technology would become the “Internet of Money.” In 2013, he drafted the “Bitcoin Bank Initiative,” a concept aimed at promoting cryptocurrency and blockchain adoption.⁠[1][2]

On May 7, 2014, the company Hirosue co-founded was established, and in September of that year it was renamed Bitbank, Inc.; he serves as its representative, President and CEO, and the company operates the crypto asset exchange bitbank.⁠[3][2][4][1]

In May 2016, “The Impact of Blockchain,” co-authored by Hirosue and Bitbank chief strategy officer Yamazaki, was published by Nikkei BP; in December 2017, the Bitcoin guidebook “Dekiru Bitcoin,” supervised by him, was published by Impress.⁠[2][2]

In June 2019, Hirosue became a director of the Japan Virtual and Crypto assets Exchange Association (JVCEA) and chairman of the Japan Cryptoasset Business Association (JCBA).⁠[2]

A South Korean KBS current affairs program broadcast on June 4, 2021 interviewed Hirosue about crypto asset regulation in Japan, at a time when South Korea was debating crypto asset trading regulation.⁠[5][5]

In May 2022, Hirosue set up the Japan Digital Asset Trust Preparatory Company (JADAT) to prepare a digital asset trust business for institutional investors and companies, and also serves as its CEO.⁠[2][1][6]

In June 2023, Hirosue became vice chairman of JVCEA and was reappointed chairman of JCBA. At the WebX conference in Tokyo in July of that year, he moderated two panels, “Japan as a Web3 Hub?” and “The Global Impact of Japan’s Crypto Regulation,” whose speakers included Masaaki Taira, head of the Liberal Democratic Party’s Web3 project team, officials of Japan’s Financial Services Agency, and bitFlyer Holdings CEO Yuzo Kano.⁠[2][6][6][6]

On June 25, 2026, SBI Holdings concluded a basic agreement with Bitbank, Hirosue, MIXI and CERES to make Bitbank a wholly owned subsidiary, and a share transfer agreement with Hirosue and other individual shareholders under which SBI’s wholly owned subsidiary SBICAH GK would acquire their Bitbank common shares for cash. At signing, Hirosue held 30.86% of Bitbank, making him its largest shareholder. In the same month, he issued a message as Bitbank’s President and CEO saying the company aims to use Bitcoin technology to remove the unfairness and inefficiencies of today’s financial systems.⁠[3][3][3][3][7][7]

In July 2026, he took part in two sessions at WebX 2026, on cybersecurity in finance and Web3 in the AI era and on Japan’s Financial Instruments and Exchange Act and tax reform.⁠[1][1]

On October 1, 2026, the acquisition was completed and Bitbank became a wholly owned subsidiary of SBI Holdings; Hirosue continues as Bitbank’s CEO.⁠[8][8][4]

Bitbank, Inc.: Official website: https://corporate.bitbank.cc/en/ (opens in a new window).⁠[4]