Although native to cold, temperate coastal areas of Japan, Korea, China, and Russia, it has established itself in temperate regions around the world, including New Zealand, the United States, Belgium, France, Great Britain, Spain, Italy, Argentina, Australia and Mexico. as of 2018, the Invasive Species Specialist Group has listed the species on its list of 100 worst globally invasive species.

Wakame, as with all other kelps and brown algae,