Ripple, the leading provider of blockchain-based enterprise solutions across traditional and digital finance, together with SBI Holdings, a major Japanese financial services conglomerate, alongside its subsidiary SBI VC Trade Co., Ltd., a licensed Electronic Payment Instruments Exchange Service Provider (jointly “SBI Group”), announced the official launch and availability of Ripple USD (RLUSD) in Japan. This milestone delivers on the strategic vision outlined in their initial memorandum of understanding (MOU) announced in August 2025 and marks RLUSD’s entry into one of the world’s most sophisticated and forward-looking digital assets markets.

RLUSD’s launch in Japan follows regulatory approval from the Japan Financial Services Agency (JFSA), under which RLUSD is categorized as a new type of electronic payment instrument under Japan’s Payment Services Act, which is intended for foreign-issued stablecoins that ensure the safety and regulatory standards required under Japanese law. RLUSD will be offered to both institutional and retail users through SBI VC Trade’s VCTRADE platform.

“Japan has long been a leader in digital asset adoption, underpinned by both regulatory clarity and financial innovation. This launch marks an important step in expanding access to transparent, regulated USD-backed stablecoins like RLUSD for financial institutions, consumers and businesses in Japan,” said Jack McDonald, Senior Vice President of Stablecoins at Ripple. “Through our collaboration with SBI Group, RLUSD will serve as a bridge for payments, tokenization and collateral management, connecting Japanese businesses and individuals more efficiently to global liquidity. Together, we’re helping advance regulated stablecoin adoption across Asia.”

“We are truly pleased to announce the launch of support for RLUSD, a U.S. dollar-denominated stablecoin. Ripple and the SBI Group have worked closely together for many years with a shared vision of advancing the future of on-chain finance. The introduction of RLUSD represents a major milestone in our ongoing collaboration and our efforts to drive innovation in digital finance. Looking ahead, we remain fully committed to expanding the range of services built around RLUSD and fostering new use cases that deliver greater value to our customers and the broader market,” said SBI VC Trade CEO, Tomohiko Kondo.

RLUSD is an enterprise-grade, USD-backed stablecoin built with trust, liquidity, and compliance at its core. Since its launch in late 2024, RLUSD has reached US$1.7 billion in market capitalization, driven by increasing demand for regulated, enterprise-ready digital assets. Already deployed across multiple markets to enable faster settlements, greater transparency, and more efficient cross-border liquidity, RLUSD is also being actively explored for next-generation applications including programmable trade settlements and supply chain finance.

This builds on a decade-long relationship between Ripple and SBI Group, which have worked together since 2016 to advance digital asset and blockchain-based financial infrastructure across Japan and the broader Asia-Pacific region. Through a series of joint initiatives, the two companies have helped drive innovation in cross-border payments and digital asset adoption. With RLUSD now available through SBI VC Trade, the partnership enters its next phase, bringing a regulated, enterprise-grade stablecoin to one of the world’s most sophisticated digital asset markets.

Source: Ripple