Startale Group and SBI Holdings have signed a MoU to jointly develop and launch a fully regulated Japanese yen-denominated stablecoin.
The project aims to issue a trust-based Type 3 Electronic Payment Instrument, which is not subject to Japan’s ¥1 million cap on domestic remittances and account balances.
The stablecoin will support domestic and cross-border use, enabling payments, settlement, and tokenised digital-market applications.
The partners plan to launch it in Q2 2026, subject to the completion of regulatory and compliance requirements.
Under the agreement, Startale will oversee technology development, including smart contracts, APIs, security, and compliance systems, as well as ecosystem expansion.
The SBI Group will lead regulatory coordination and distribution, and support institutional and investor adoption.
Shinsei Trust & Banking, a subsidiary of SBI Shinsei Bank, will manage issuance and redemption as the trust bank, while SBI VC Trade will support circulation as a licensed crypto asset exchange service provider.
Yoshitaka Kitao, Chairman and President of SBI Holdings, said:
“By jointly issuing a yen-denominated stablecoin with Startale Group and circulating it domestically and globally, we aim to accelerate the delivery of digital financial services integrated with traditional finance.”
Sota Watanabe, CEO of Startale Group, said:
“Our yen-denominated stablecoin is not just a means of everyday payment; it will play a central role in a fully on-chain world. In particular, we see significant potential in enabling payments between automated agents and supporting distribution for tokenised assets.”
Japan has established a legal framework for fiat-backed stablecoins, positioning itself as a regulated environment for digital asset development.
The project builds on previous collaboration between the two groups in tokenised financial instruments. It aims to extend regulated yen settlement into blockchain-based financial infrastructure.
Featured image credit: Edited by Fintech News Hong Kong, based on image by starline via Freepik