Japanese financial conglomerate SBI Group has officially announced three strategic partnerships, signaling a significant expansion of its blockchain and Web3 ambitions. The new alliances with USDC issuer Circle, XRP developer Ripple, and Web3 firm Startale are set to enhance stablecoin circulation in Japan and introduce a new platform for tokenized assets.
The announcements, made on Friday, detail a multi-pronged approach to integrating digital assets into the mainstream financial landscape.
Expanding Stablecoin Access in Japan
A major focus of SBI’s new strategy is the promotion of stablecoins. The group has inked separate agreements with two of the industry’s most prominent players, Circle and Ripple, to boost the adoption of their respective stablecoins in the Japanese market.
The collaboration with Circle will see the establishment of a joint venture aimed at promoting the use of USDC. According to SBI, “The establishment of this joint venture aims to promote the use of USDC in Japan and create new use cases in the Web3 and digital finance domains.” This follows SBI VC Trade’s successful registration to support USDC operations earlier in March.
Simultaneously, SBI has signed a new memorandum of understanding with Ripple to distribute its upcoming stablecoin, Ripple USD (RLUSD). The group’s crypto subsidiary, SBI VC Trade, will be tasked with making RLUSD available to the Japanese market, with a target launch during the fiscal year ending in March 2026.
Tomohiko Kondo, CEO of SBI VC Trade, highlighted the importance of this move. “The introduction of RLUSD will not just expand the option of stablecoins in the Japanese market, but is a major step forward in the reliability and convenience of stablecoins in the Japanese market,” he stated.
Pioneering 24/7 Trading with Real-World Asset Tokenization
In a landmark move toward the future of finance, SBI has also entered into a joint venture with Singapore-based Startale. The partnership, backed by “milestone-based committed funding,” is focused on building an on-chain trading platform for tokenized stocks and other real-world assets (RWAs). This initiative aims to enable 24/7, real-time settlement for traditional assets, unlocking new levels of liquidity and efficiency.
This venture places SBI at the forefront of a global trend that has seen major players like Gemini, Kraken, and Robinhood launch platforms for trading tokenized securities.
SBI CEO Yoshitaka Kitao expressed a bold vision for the project’s impact. “As tokenized RWAs enable 24/7 real-time settlement and achieve unprecedented liquidity and capital efficiency, the convergence of traditional finance and DeFi will likely accelerate,” Kitao said. “We predict that this movement will eventually lead to the digitalization of capital markets themselves, including exchanges.”
While excitement builds, specific details about the platform’s technical architecture and underlying blockchain remain under wraps. Startale Group CEO Sota Watanabe confirmed the project’s core mission: “to deliver an always-on, compliant trading platform for tokenized assets,” adding that a timeline will be announced at a later date.
These strategic partnerships solidify SBI Group’s long-standing relationship with Ripple and its growing involvement with Circle, positioning the Japanese powerhouse as a key driver of blockchain innovation in both Japan and the global financial sector.
