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Japan

SBI Holdings Forms Joint Venture With Circle to Advance USDC in Japan

by admin August 23, 2025

SBI Holdings has announced the establishment of a joint venture with Circle Internet Holdings, the company behind USDC. The new entity will focus on promoting the use of USDC in Japan and developing related digital finance services.

The partnership aims to boost the adoption of USDC and unlock new use cases in payments, digital finance, and Web3 services. By combining SBI’s extensive financial network with Circle’s blockchain expertise, the venture aims to bridge key gaps in Japan’s digital asset market and provide investors with a trusted, regulated way to transact with stablecoins.

A Partnership Years in the Making

The joint venture builds on earlier agreements between the two companies.SBI signed a memorandum of understanding with Circle to explore USDC circulation in Japan in November 2023, and both parties signed a joint agreement in March 2025, which led to this launch.

The groundwork has already been laid. Earlier this year, SBI VC Trade—SBI’s crypto-asset exchange arm—became the first firm in Japan to register as an Electronic Payment Instruments Service Provider. That milestone allowed it to begin offering USDC trading services, making the stablecoin more accessible to Japanese investors.

“By leveraging the SBI Group’s financial infrastructure and Circle’s expertise, the two parties will contribute to advancing Japan’s digital financial ecosystem,” SBI Holdings said in its announcement.

SBI has also become a financial backer of Circle. Following Circle’s listing on the New York Stock Exchange in March 2025, the group purchased $50 million worth of Circle shares as a strategic investment.

Expanding Stablecoin and Web3 Horizons

The venture with Circle is part of SBI’s broader push into blockchain partnerships. Alongside USDC, the group is working with Ripple to roll out Ripple USD (RLUSD) in Japan and has teamed up with Singapore’s Startale to build a tokenized trading platform for stocks and real-world assets.

Also Read: Japan Prepares to Approve First Yen-Backed Stablecoins This Fall

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August 23, 2025 0 comments

Volatility Shares launches first XRP futures ETF on Nasdaq

NFT Gaming

Ripple’s RLUSD to launch in Japan through SBI partnership by Q1 2026

by admin August 22, 2025

Ripple’s RLUSD stablecoin is set to debut in Japan in early 2026 through a distribution partnership with SBI Holdings and its crypto arm, SBI VC Trade.

Summary

Ripple’s RLUSD stablecoin will be distributed in Japan via SBI VC Trade under a new agreement.
The Japan rollout follows Ripple’s RLUSD gaining regulatory approval in Dubai and comes as Japan prepares to issue its first official stablecoin.

Ripple (XRP) announced today that it will begin distributing its U.S. dollar–backed stablecoin, Ripple USD (RLUSD), in Japan during the first quarter of 2026 in partnership with SBI Holdings, a Japanese financial conglomerate. The rollout will be handled by SBI VC Trade, the licensed crypto exchange unit of SBI, under a newly signed memorandum of understanding between the two firms.

“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, and an important step in further accelerating the convergence of finance and digital technology,” said SBI VC Trade CEO Tomohiko Kondo.

“RLUSD is designed to be a true industry standard, providing a reliable and efficient bridge between traditional and decentralized finance. We are confident that this partnership will not only drive stablecoin utility in Japan but also set a new benchmark for the entire market,” said Jack McDonald, Ripple’s Senior Vice President of Stablecoins.

Ripple’s RLUSD: market position and global expansion

Ripple’s RLUSD stablecoin, first launched in December last year, is fully collateralized by U.S. dollar deposits, short-term Treasury securities, and other liquid cash equivalents, with independent monthly attestations. As of August, it holds a market capitalization of $666 million, ranking as the eighth-largest stablecoin by market value, just behind PayPal USD, according to CoinMarketCap’s stablecoin rankings.

The expansion into Japan coincides with the country’s preparations to launch its first officially sanctioned stablecoin. It also follows Ripple securing approval from the Dubai Financial Services Authority in early June, which enabled RLUSD’s integration into the region’s payment platforms.

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August 22, 2025 0 comments

NFT Gaming

Ripple and SBI to Launch RLUSD Stablecoin in Japan by Early 2026

by admin August 22, 2025

In brief

Japan’s Payment Services Act amendments, effective since 2023, created a licensing regime for issuing and distributing fiat-pegged stablecoins.
SBI VC Trade, the first firm licensed as an Electronic Payment Instruments Exchange Service Provider, already handles USDC and will now add RLUSD.
Japan has a structured and bank-friendly crypto regime, while its local players place a premium on compliance, Decrypt was told.

Ripple and SBI Holdings are preparing to launch the RLUSD stablecoin in Japan by early next year, as the country’s freshly crafted stablecoin laws open its market to foreign issuers.

The joint move was signed under a memorandum of understanding that will see Ripple’s RLUSD stablecoin distributed in Japan through SBI VC Trade, the group’s licensed crypto exchange, Ripple announced late Thursday evening.

Ripple’s entry would help step up the “reliability and convenience of stablecoins in the Japanese market,” SBI VC Trade CEO Tomohiko Kondo said in a statement.

It comes as Japan’s Payment Services Act amendment took effect in June 2023, establishing a licensing regime for electronic payment instruments. An earlier version of the stablecoin framework was passed by the Japanese parliament in 2022.

The framework has been continuously refined through new amendments set to roll out by 2026, including relaxed reserve requirements and updated licensing tiers, according to a report from Asia Business Law Journal.

Under the new rules set to take effect next year, only licensed entities such as fund transfer service providers or trust banks can issue or distribute fiat-pegged stablecoins, a framework that has opened the door to regulated launches like RLUSD.

SBI VC Trade was the first in Japan to secure an Electronic Payment Instruments Exchange Service Provider license, allowing it to handle foreign-issued stablecoins.

“Japan quietly has a very structured and bank-friendly crypto regime given its continuously revised Payment Services Act,” Rick Maeda, Tokyo-based analyst at Presto Research, told Decrypt.

Ripple “leverages this regulatory moat as well as SBI’s deep retail and institutional reach,” Maeda said.

He pointed to RLUSD’s “institutional branding and reserve transparency,” which could help it against competitors, given how the Japanese market’s regulators, banks, and corporates “place a premium on compliance.”

Earlier in March, NYSE-listed stablecoin issuer Circle received the first approval of a U.S. dollar-pegged stablecoin in Japan for its USDC product. Tether, which issues USDT, a larger competing stablecoin, has not received similar approval.

RLUSD, meanwhile, operates with a smaller market circulation of about $667 million over an average daily trading volume of about $71 million, according to data on CoinGecko.

RLUSD is issued under a New York State trust-company charter, backed fully by cash, short-term Treasuries, and cash equivalents with monthly reserve attestations, according to Ripple.

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August 22, 2025 0 comments

Crypto Trends

Ripple, SBI Plan RLUSD Stablecoin Distribution in Japan by 2026

by admin August 22, 2025

Ripple and SBI Holdings plan to roll out Ripple USD (RLUSD) in Japan, aiming to tap into the country’s emerging stablecoin market under new regulatory frameworks.

The two companies announced on Friday that they had signed a memorandum of understanding, in which SBI VC Trade’s role is that of distributor. SBI VC Trade, a licensed Electronic Payment Instruments Exchange Service Provider, aims to make RLUSD to go live in Japan during the first quarter of 2026.

RLUSD is Ripple’s first stablecoin initiative, launched in December 2024. The token is fully backed by U.S. dollar deposits, short-term Treasuries and cash equivalents, with monthly attestations from a third-party firm.

Ripple says this structure offers regulatory clarity and institutional-grade compliance — traits it argues will differentiate RLUSD from peers.

SBI executives framed the partnership as a step in strengthening Japan’s digital finance infrastructure. “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,” said SBI VC Trade CEO Tomohiko Kondo.

Ripple executives echoed the compliance focus. “RLUSD is designed to be a true industry standard, providing a reliable and efficient bridge between traditional and decentralized finance,” said Jack McDonald, Ripple’s senior vice president of stablecoins.

The rollout also highlights the deepening ties between Ripple and SBI, longtime partners in Asia’s blockchain ecosystem. It also comes as Japan approved the first yen-denominated stablecoin for issuance in the country earlier this week.

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August 22, 2025 0 comments

NFT Gaming

Ripple to Bring RLUSD to Japan

by admin August 22, 2025

RLUSD’s growth
Japan’s stablecoin market

Enterprise blockchain company Ripple has announced that it is bringing its highly regulated Ripple USD (RLUSD) stablecoin to the Japanese market in partnership with SBI VC Trade, the cryptocurrency exchange arm of financial giant SBI Holdings, in early 2026.

SBI VC Trade CEO Tomohiko Kondo has stated that the introduction of RLUSD would be a “major step” toward making stablecoins more convenient and reliable in the Japanese market.

RLUSD’s growth

According to data provided by CoinGecko, RLUSD, which was officially launched last December, currently boasts a market cap of $667 million.

Last week, Ripple minted another 24 million tokens on the Ethereum blockchain.

Japan’s stablecoin market

Stablecoins have been gaining major traction around the globe, and Japan is not an exception.

In March, USDC issuer Circle, a major Ripple competitor, announced the launch of the stablecoin in Japan in partnership with SBI VC.

Recently, the Financial Services Agency (FSA), the country’s first financial regulator, allowed local fintech firm JPYC to issue the first stablecoin pegged to the yen.

Jack McDonald, Ripple’s vice president of stablecoins, says that he hopes that RLUSD will set a new “benchmark” for the entire market.

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August 22, 2025 0 comments

NFT Gaming

Japan Eyes Approval Of Yen-Backed Token

by admin August 19, 2025

Trusted Editorial content, reviewed by leading industry experts and seasoned editors. Ad Disclosure

Japan is inching towards the approval of its first yen-backed stablecoin, with regulators likely to approve it as soon as October.

Nikkei reports that the token, named JPYC, will be issued by Tokyo fintech company JPYC and will be backed by the Japanese yen with reserves like bank deposits and government debt.

Stablecoin Target Remittances And Corporate Payments

The forthcoming launch follows a 2023 revision of Japan’s Financial Services Agency’s legal requirements classifying stablecoins as “currency-denominated assets.”

With this regulation, only licensed money transfer companies, trust companies, and banks may issue them. JPYC is in the process of registering as a money transfer company within the month, which will enable selling tokens shortly afterward.

The company’s goal is ambitious. Within the next three years, it plans to sell 1 trillion yen’s worth of JPYC, roughly $6.8 billion at the current rate of 147 yen per dollar.

🇯🇵 Japan to greenlight first yen-based stablecoin.

The Financial Services Agency will approve the issuance of Japan’s first yen-denominated stablecoin as early as autumn, with the aim of using it for international remittances and more.

— World of Statistics (@stats_feed) August 18, 2025

The tokens might be utilized for cross-border remittances, corporate payments abroad, or trading in decentralized finance markets.

News also indicates hedge funds dealing in cryptocurrencies and family offices handling money of rich investors are already evincing interest.

Carry Trades Attract Institutional Interest

Market observers think that JPYC can also find use in carry trades, which exploit the disparity in interest rates among currencies.

That prospect has attracted institutional interest at a point when stablecoins are becoming popular worldwide.

BTCUSD trading at $115,718 on the 24-hour chart: TradingView

Dollar-backed tokens continue to hold sway, with the overall value of all stablecoins recently hitting more than $250 billion.

Tether’s USDT and Circle’s USDC continue to be used the most for trading and settlements.

Yet, Japan’s attempt to launch a regulated yen-backed token may signal the way toward increased regional adoption in Asia, where dollar-denominated stablecoin alternatives are being monitored closely.

Regulated Path Offers Predictability

JPYC’s approval would highlight Japan’s stricter but clearer approach compared to many other countries.

Analysts say the framework gives companies more certainty as they test blockchain-based settlement systems without fear of regulatory ambiguity.

According to estimates, the global stablecoin market could swell to nearly $4 trillion by 2030, more than 10 times its current size.

And if yen-pegged instruments, such as JPYC, gain traction, they could capture some of that growth and resonate with Asian investors looking for alternatives to dollars.

The Japanese move also comes as governments across the globe heighten their monitoring of stablecoins due to fears about financial stability.

Featured image from CNN, chart from TradingView

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August 19, 2025 0 comments

Crypto Trends

Japan Prepares to Approve First Yen-Backed Stablecoins This Fall

by admin August 18, 2025

Japan’s financial regulator is preparing to give the green light to the country’s first yen-backed stablecoin, a step that could open the door to wider use of digital money while also affecting demand for government debt.

The Financial Services Agency (FSA) is expected to approve the rollout of stablecoins pegged to the yen as early as this fall, according to a report by the Nihon Keizai Shimbun. The first issuer will be JPYC Inc., a Tokyo-based fintech that plans to register as a money transfer business within weeks.

JPYC’s token is designed to hold a fixed value of one yen. It will be backed by readily available assets such as money kept in banks and Japanese government bonds. Once applications are processed, both individuals and companies will be able to purchase the tokens via bank transfer and store them in digital wallets.

The move brings Japan in line with a global stablecoin market that has grown rapidly in recent years. Dollar-backed coins such as Tether’s USDT and Circle’s USDC dominate the $286 billion market, and they are already used in Japan. A yen-based stablecoin would be the country’s first homegrown alternative.

Industry figures say the implications could stretch beyond payments. In a post on social media platform X, Noriyuki Okabe, a representative of JPYC’s issuing company, argued that widespread use of yen-pegged stablecoins could increase demand for Japanese government bonds.

ステーブルコインは巨大な国債消化装置であり、
ステーブルコイン発行体のTetherやCircleは米国債の主要な買い手になっています。

日本でもこれからJPYCが日本国債を買いまくることになります。

ステーブルコイン発行が伸びない国の国債金利はこれからどんどん上がっていくでしょう。…

— 岡部典孝　JPYC代表取締役 (@noritaka_okabe) August 14, 2025

He pointed to the U.S., where leading stablecoin issuers have become major buyers of Treasurys to back their tokens. If JPYC follows the same path, it could emerge as a new source of demand for JGBs.

Okabe also suggested that countries slow to adopt stablecoins risk higher borrowing costs in the long term. Without this new channel of demand, he said, governments may have to rely more heavily on traditional investors to absorb public debt.

For Japan, the launch of JPYC would mark the first time the yen itself has been mirrored in tokenized form at scale. It would also deepen the intersection of digital assets and monetary policy at a moment when global finance is increasingly shaped by stablecoins.

Also Read: Citigroup Eyes Stablecoin, Crypto ETF Custody & Payment Push

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August 18, 2025 0 comments

Game Updates

Nintendo Museum in Japan is getting an art gallery extension

by admin June 25, 2025

The Nintendo Museum in Japan is set to receive an art gallery extension.

The art gallery will allow visitors to “explore a wide range of game artwork, including character illustrations and concept art”.

It’s set to open on 3rd September at the Nintendo Museum near Kyoto, which is built on the site of the company’s former hanafuda manufacturing plant that opened in 1969.

17 Hidden Nintendo References In The Nintendo MuseumWatch on YouTube

The art gallery is an intriguing prospect, which will no doubt have fans speculating as to what kind of never-before-seen artwork may be included. Perhaps some Miyamoto originals from when he designed Mario and Link? Or will this be a digital art display?

The Nintendo Museum opened on 2nd October last year, which includes exhibits showcasing the history of Nintendo’s games as well as fun minigames to try out. Then, in the gift shop, you can buy one of those giant controller cushions.

Except, the museum already feels somewhat like a gallery. As former Eurogamer managing editor Katharine Castle wrote when she visited last year, there’s a “dizzying amount of stuff to absorb” but Nintendo states up front it’s all “shared with little explanation”.

“Having spent nine hours wandering round the museum this week,” Katharine wrote, “it’s a concept that feels both refreshing, but also rich with missed opportunity. This isn’t a place that finally pulls back the curtain on Nintendo’s secret inner workings, nor is it the kind of exhibit that sheds new light on what you already know.”

The Art Gallery will open on Wednesday, September 3rd on the 2nd floor of the Nintendo Museum Exhibition Building. Visitors can explore a wide range of game artwork, including character illustrations and concept art.

— ニンテンドーミュージアム (@Museum_Nintendo) June 24, 2025

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I also luckily visited the museum last year on holiday and, while I had a great time reminiscing about past consoles and games, I didn’t feel I truly learned anything new about Nintendo as a company.

Still, the opportunity to potentially see some rare artwork is certainly a draw to visit the Nintendo Museum, though whether you’re able to visit remains luck of the draw for those applying for tickets.

As Nintendo Life reported, the museum was also updated back in April, to include a Switch 2 exhibit.

Ahead of the new console’s launch, we published a review of Nintendo’s other controversially expensive handheld – the Virtual Boy. And that’s something you can see for yourself at the museum.

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June 25, 2025 0 comments

Crypto Trends

Japan Eyes Crypto ETFs, 20% Tax in Regulatory Overhaul

by admin June 24, 2025

Japan’s Financial Services Agency (FSA) proposed a sweeping reclassification of cryptocurrencies that would clear a path for the launch of crypto exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and introduce a flat 20% tax on digital asset income.

The proposal, introduced on Tuesday, suggests recognizing crypto as “financial products” under the scope of the Financial Instruments and Exchange Act (FIEA), the same regulatory framework that governs securities and traditional financial products.

The proposed reclassification could also shift Japan’s current progressive tax system, which taxes crypto gains at rates up to 55%, to a uniform 20%, mirroring the treatment of stocks. That change could make crypto investing more attractive to both retail and institutional players.

The proposed shift is part of the Japanese government’s broader “New Capitalism” strategy, which seeks to position the country as an investment-led economy.

Related: What Japan’s fiscal debt crisis means for global crypto markets

Japan surpasses 12 million active crypto accounts

The move comes amid increasing interest in crypto as a legitimate investment asset. According to the FSA, more than 12 million domestic crypto accounts were active as of January 2025, with assets held on platforms exceeding 5 trillion Japanese yen (about $34 billion).

In the proposal, the FAS also revealed that crypto ownership now surpasses participation in some traditional financial products, such as FX and corporate bonds, particularly among tech-savvy retail investors.

The proposal also responds to the surge in institutional engagement worldwide. The FSA cited data showing over 1,200 financial institutions, including US pension funds and Goldman Sachs, now hold US-listed spot Bitcoin ETFs.

Chart showing Japan’s crypto accounts surpassing 12 million in 2025 alongside a global surge in fund flows into crypto ETFs. Source: FSA

Japanese regulators aim to support similar developments domestically, especially as global fund flows into crypto continue to expand.

Related: Bank of Japan pivot to QE may fuel Bitcoin rally — Arthur Hayes

SMBC, Ava Labs to explore stablecoins in Japan

In April, Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group (SMBC), TIS Inc., Ava Labs and Fireblocks signed a Memorandum of Understanding to explore the commercialization of stablecoins in Japan. The collaboration will focus on issuing stablecoins pegged to both the US dollar and Japanese yen.

The group also plans to examine the use of stablecoins for settling tokenized real-world assets such as stocks, bonds and real estate.

In March, Japan issued its first license allowing a company to deal with stablecoins to SBI VC Trade, a subsidiary of the local financial conglomerate SBI, which said it was preparing to support Circle’s USDC (USDC).

Magazine: Bitcoin’s invisible tug-of-war between suits and cypherpunks

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June 24, 2025 0 comments

Esports

Sega to open new store in Tokyo, Japan

by admin June 23, 2025

Sega has confirmed plans to open a flagship store in Tokyo, Japan.

The publisher shared the news on social media, but didn’t specify where in Tokyo the new store will be located.

VGC previously reported that Sega Store Tokyo is expected to open in Shibuya Parco – a department store complex that also houses Capcom Store Tokyo, Pokémon Center Shibuya, and Nintendo Tokyo.

It highlighted that visitors had noticed construction signage in the complex with Sega’s font suggesting the arrival of the store.

Sega’s head of global transmedia Justin Scarpone told VGC last year that the store was set to open in summer 2025, and that another will open in Shanghai, China.

“One of the core things about our transmedia team is we are really focused on elevating and strengthening the Sega brand,” said Scarpone.

“If you go to retail today, you don’t see ‘Sega’ enough. For example, we’re opening a Sega store next summer in [Tokyo’s] Parco. We’re also going to be doing a similar project in Shanghai, where we’ll have a store there as well via a partner.”

He continued: “It’s really exciting and we need to do a lot more of that, because Sega is a consumer brand that is surprisingly not in front of customers enough. Sonic is, but Sega isn’t.”

VGC noted that Sega “generates nearly $1 billion in annual retail sales of toys, clothing, and merchandise alone”.

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June 23, 2025 0 comments