Ripple is teaming up with Japan’s SBI Holdings to bring its new stablecoin, RLUSD, to the Japanese market. The two companies signed a memorandum of understanding this week, confirming plans to list and distribute the token through SBI’s crypto exchange, SBI VC Trade.
SBI VC Trade says it aims to make RLUSD available in Japan during the first quarter of 2026. The move comes as the global stablecoin market, now worth around $300 billion, is expected to grow into the trillions over the next few years.
Ripple is pitching RLUSD as a fully regulated, transparent stablecoin designed for institutions as well as retail users.
What Backs RLUSD
Ripple stressed that every RLUSD token will be backed 1:1 by safe and liquid reserves. These reserves include U.S. dollars, short-term U.S. government bonds, and cash equivalents. To build trust, Ripple will also publish monthly audits from a third-party firm.
The $300B stablecoin market is set to grow into the trillions.
— Ripple (@Ripple) August 22, 2025
Together with @sbivc_official, we’re bringing $RLUSD to Japan in early 2026, offering users and institutions a trusted, regulated and fully-backed stablecoin built for enterprise use cases. https://t.co/htcrMiQkTe
This is a direct attempt to address one of the biggest criticisms in the stablecoin space: lack of transparency around reserves.
Tomohiko Kondo, CEO of SBI VC Trade, said adding RLUSD will give Japanese users more stablecoin options and increase confidence in the market. He described it as “an important step in bringing finance and digital technology closer together.”
Jack McDonald, Ripple’s Head of Stablecoins, said the partnership shows Ripple’s focus on compliance and trust. “RLUSD is designed to be a true industry standard,” he said, adding that it could act as a bridge between traditional finance and crypto.
Why It’s Important
Japan has already been experimenting with stablecoins, and SBI was one of the first licensed firms in the country to handle them. With RLUSD, Ripple hopes to gain a stronger foothold in Asia by offering a regulated alternative to USDT and USDC.
If the rollout succeeds, it could boost adoption of stablecoins in Japan and help set new standards for transparency in the sector.
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