Japan’s SBI and Startale plan regulated yen stablecoin in 2026 under new framework
SBI Holdings and Startale Group plan to launch a regulated, yen-denominated stablecoin in Q2 2026.Summary
Japanese financial conglomerate SBI Holdings and Web3 infrastructure company Startale Group have partnered to develop a fully regulated Japanese yen-denominated stablecoin, aiming for tokenized asset markets and global settlement. The stablecoin will be issued and redeemed by Shinsei Trust & Banking, an SBI subsidiary, with circulation supported by SBI VC Trade. SBI Chairman Yoshitaka Kitao stated this initiative will form the foundation for Japan's transition to a token economy, accelerating the integration of digital financial services with traditional finance. The expected launch is the second quarter of 2026, pending regulatory approval. This effort complements ongoing bank-led stablecoin pilots in Japan, focusing on cross-border settlement and real-world asset flows. SBI is actively involved in the stablecoin landscape, having previously integrated USDC and partnering with Ripple for its RLUSD stablecoin in Japan.
(Source：Cointelegraph)