Ripple and SBI Holdings plan to roll out Ripple USD (RLUSD) in Japan, aiming to faucet into the nation’s rising stablecoin market beneath new regulatory frameworks.
The 2 firms introduced on Friday that that they had signed a memorandum of understanding, by which SBI VC Commerce’s function is that of distributor. SBI VC Commerce, a licensed Digital Cost Devices Alternate Service Supplier, goals to make RLUSD to go stay in Japan in the course of the first quarter of 2026.
RLUSD is Ripple’s first stablecoin initiative, launched in December 2024. The token is totally backed by U.S. greenback deposits, short-term Treasuries and money equivalents, with month-to-month attestations from a third-party agency.
Ripple says this construction gives regulatory readability and institutional-grade compliance — traits it argues will differentiate RLUSD from friends.
SBI executives framed the partnership as a step in strengthening Japan’s digital finance infrastructure. “The introduction of RLUSD won’t simply develop the choice of stablecoins within the Japanese market, however is a serious step ahead within the reliability and comfort of stablecoins,” stated SBI VC Commerce CEO Tomohiko Kondo.
Ripple executives echoed the compliance focus. “RLUSD is designed to be a real trade commonplace, offering a dependable and environment friendly bridge between conventional and decentralized finance,” stated Jack McDonald, Ripple’s senior vp of stablecoins.
The rollout additionally highlights the deepening ties between Ripple and SBI, longtime companions in Asia’s blockchain ecosystem. It additionally comes as Japan permitted the primary yen-denominated stablecoin for issuance within the nation earlier this week.
