CoinDesk
Japanese companies are increasingly adding bitcoin and XRP to their corporate treasuries as a weak yen pushes firms to diversify beyond cash, according to SBI VC Trade, the crypto arm of Tokyo-based SBI Holdings. The exchange said registered accounts across its VCTRADE and BITPOINT services have surpassed 2 million, roughly double the 1 million it counted in 2025, with the latest figure boosted by its April 2026 merger with sister firm BitPoint Japan. SBI VC Trade plans to fully integrate the two brands around the end of December, a step it said should cut costs and unify service levels.
Use of its corporate service, SBIVC for Prime, has grown as the weak yen drives firms to spread reserves beyond cash, with added demand from companies that hand out bitcoin or XRP through shareholder-perk programs. Stablecoins have been a second driver: SBI VC Trade listed USDC in March 2025 in what it called Japan's first dollar-stablecoin listing, and in June 2026 added Ripple's dollar-backed RLUSD alongside JPYSC, a yen-pegged token it described as the country's first trust-based yen stablecoin, and began offering lending against stablecoins.
Why it matters
The milestone tracks a broader pickup in regulated crypto access in Japan, where a strict licensing regime has kept the market smaller than in the U.S. or South Korea but is steadily drawing retail and corporate users as stablecoins and treasury strategies take hold. SBI VC Trade's account doubling in roughly eighteen months is one of the clearest signals yet that corporate Japan is treating crypto allocation as a response to currency pressure rather than a fringe bet.
Market impact
The story ties together three threads worth watching: continued yen weakness keeps the corporate diversification bid alive, the RLUSD and JPYSC listings give Japanese firms regulated on-ramps into dollar and yen stablecoins, and the SBIVC for Prime product positions SBI VC Trade as a treasury-services vendor rather than just a retail venue. Watch the integration timeline around year-end and any new corporate clients disclosed under SBIVC for Prime as the next datapoints.
Frequently asked questions
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Why are Japanese firms adding bitcoin and XRP to their treasuries?
A weak yen is pushing Japanese companies to diversify corporate reserves beyond cash. SBI VC Trade said its SBIVC for Prime corporate service has grown as firms spread into crypto, including via shareholder-perk programs that distribute bitcoin or XRP.
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How many registered accounts does SBI VC Trade now have?
SBI VC Trade said registered accounts across its VCTRADE and BITPOINT services have surpassed 2 million, roughly double the 1 million it counted in 2025. The jump was aided by its April 2026 merger with sister firm BitPoint Japan.
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Which stablecoins has SBI VC Trade listed?
The exchange listed USDC in March 2025, which it called Japan's first dollar-stablecoin listing, and in June 2026 added Ripple's dollar-backed RLUSD alongside JPYSC, a yen-pegged token it described as Japan's first trust-based yen stablecoin. It also began offering lending against stablecoins.
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What is SBIVC for Prime?
SBIVC for Prime is SBI VC Trade's corporate crypto service, designed for companies holding or distributing bitcoin and XRP. The product positions the exchange as a treasury-services vendor rather than just a retail venue.
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When will SBI VC Trade and BITPOINT be fully integrated?
SBI VC Trade said it plans to fully integrate the VCTRADE and BITPOINT brands around the end of December 2026, a step it said should cut costs and unify service levels across the combined user base.
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