Ripple partners with SBI Group to officially launch the regulated RLUSD stablecoin for institutional and retail users in Japan.
Blockchain enterprise solutions provider Ripple partnered with Japanese financial services conglomerate SBI Group and its subsidiary SBI VC Trade to launch the Ripple USD (RLUSD) stablecoin in Japan.
The launch introduces a regulated, enterprise-grade digital asset to one of the world’s most sophisticated financial markets, opening up institutional and retail access via the VCTRADE platform. It directly solves the lack of secure, cross-border digital settlement options for local businesses by introducing a transparent, compliant payment instrument tied to global liquidity pools.
Following official regulatory approval from the Japan Financial Services Agency, RLUSD is categorised as a new type of foreign-issued electronic payment instrument under local law. The deployment builds on a decade-long partnership established in 2016, with the stablecoin already securing a market capitalisation of US$1.7 billion across international markets since late 2024.
Jack McDonald, Senior Vice President of Stablecoins at Ripple, said: “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.”
Tomohiko Kondo, CEO at SBI VC Trade, added: “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.”
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