SBI launches 10B yen bond paying investors in XRP

SBI sold a ¥10 billion blockchain bond that pays investors in XRP. CEO Yoshitaka Kitao says XRP “will be very expensive,” tying upside to Ripple’s US court outcome.

The bond went live in February 2026. It’s the first from a major Japanese financial group to deliver returns in XRP. SBI Holdings framed it as part of a broader Ripple push.

Kitao’s comments spread after being posted on X. He said a favorable ruling for Ripple could drive a big move in XRP. Source: Kitao’s remarks on X.

SBI is Ripple’s largest external shareholder. Their JV, SBI Ripple Asia, started in 2016 and built payment rails across Japan, South Korea, India, and the Philippines. SBI Holdings.

The program expands. SBI plans to list Ripple’s RLUSD via its licensed exchange in Japan. SBI Ripple Asia also teamed up with Asia Web3 Alliance Japan to fund builders on the XRP Ledger.

- Deal size: ¥10bn, about $64m. Returns paid in XRP. SBI Holdings
- Catalyst watch: US Ripple case. CEO sees price impact if Ripple prevails. Source
- Strategy: RLUSD rollout and new startup backing via Asia Web3 Alliance. Alliance site