eToro adds Tokyo Stock Exchange-listed shares

EToro, a trading and investing platform, has started offering Tokyo Stock Exchange-listed shares on its platform, beginning with companies in the Nikkei 225, as it expands access to Japanese equities.

The company said it will add all TSE-listed stocks and provide real-time market data, bringing its offering to more than 11,000 stocks across 26 exchanges.

EToro also cited a survey of 11,000 retail investors across 13 countries, conducted by Opinium in February, which found 14% expect Japan’s stock market to deliver the strongest returns over the next five years, up from 5% two years earlier.

🔗 Source: eToro

🧠 Food for thought

Implications, context, and why it matters.

eToro’s Japan move targets global investors, not local residents

eToro is adding Tokyo Stock Exchange shares for its international customer base; it has not said it plans to sign up Japanese residents.
Its disclosures do not include a Japan Financial Services Agency (FSA) license, required by Japan’s main financial regulator in many cases; rules can apply when firms solicit clients in Japan from abroad. 1 2
Getting an FSA license involves several steps. Guidance puts draft preparation at three to four months, plus about two months for standard review after filing, not counting time for corrections. 3
eToro has used similar partnerships to add access to the London Stock Exchange and Deutsche Börse, the German stock exchange operator. 4

The ‘Japan trade’ becomes a new battleground for retail fintechs

Adding Japanese equities gives retail trading platforms such as eToro another revenue line since crypto-market volatility has affected the company in the past. 5
Robinhood, an online brokerage platform with more active users than eToro, faces fresh pressure to broaden beyond the US. 6
Platforms often lean on approvals in jurisdictions like Europe or Australia to offer global assets, though Japan may still require licensing if marketing reaches residents. 2