Ripple and SBI Holdings are planning to roll out Ripple USD (RLUSD) in Japan for the purpose of utilizing the country’s new stableecoin market under a new regulatory framework.
The two companies announced on Friday that they had signed an appointment morandum where the SBI VC trading role is the role of the distributor. SBI VC Trade, a licensed electronic payment instruments exchange service provider, aims to make RLUSD go live in Japan during the first quarter of 2026.
RLUSD is Ripple’s first stableecoin initiative launched in December 2024. The token is fully backed by US dollar deposits, short-lived treasuries and cash equivalents with monthly certificates from a third-party company.
Ripple says this structure provides legislative clarity and compliance with institutional quality features that it argues will differentiate RLUSD from peers.
SBI leaders framed the partnership as a step in strengthening Japan’s digital financial infrastructure. “The introduction of RLUSD will not only expand the possibility of stableecoins in the Japanese market, but is a big step forward in the reliability and convenience of stablecoins,” said SBI VC Trade CEO Tomohiko Kondo.
Ripple leaders repeated the focus of observance. “RLUSD is designed to be a true industry standard that provides a reliable and effective bridge between traditional and decentralized financing,” said Jack McDonald, Ripple’s Senior Senior Vice President of StableCecoins.
The rolling also highlights the elaborate bonds between Ripple and SBI, long -time partners in Asia’s blockchain ecosystem. It also comes when Japan approved the first yen-denomined stableecoin for issuance in the country earlier this week.
