Ripple and SBI Group have officially launched RLUSD, a USD-backed stablecoin, in Japan after securing regulatory approval from the Japan Financial Services Agency under the country’s Payment
Ripple and SBI Group have officially launched RLUSD, a USD-backed stablecoin, in Japan after securing regulatory approval from the Japan Financial Services Agency under the country’s Payment Services Act.
The two companies announced on June 24, 2026 that RLUSD is now available to both institutional and retail users in Japan through SBI VC Trade’s VCTRADE platform, according to Ripple’s official press release.
SBI VC Trade described RLUSD as Japan’s first Type 4 electronic payment instrument as of June 24, 2026. The designation falls under a newer classification within the Payment Services Act for foreign-issued stablecoins entering the Japanese market.
Deposits and withdrawals for RLUSD launched with zero fees, with Ethereum as the only supported blockchain at launch. SBI VC Trade began handling the stablecoin after completing scheduled maintenance on June 24.
The rollout builds on a longstanding relationship between Ripple and SBI Group. Japanese firm Gumi Inc. previously joined XRP investment alongside SBI and Ripple, underscoring the depth of the partnership network in the country.
Jack McDonald, Ripple’s SVP of Stablecoins, said in the announcement:
“This launch marks an important step in expanding access to transparent, regulated USD-backed stablecoins.”
— Jack McDonald, Ripple
Tomohiko Kondo of SBI VC Trade echoed the sentiment, calling the introduction of RLUSD “a major milestone in our ongoing collaboration.”
Japan’s regulatory framework for digital assets is among the most developed globally, making it a natural expansion target for regulated stablecoin issuers. The JFSA’s approval of RLUSD as a new type of electronic payment instrument signals willingness to accommodate foreign-issued stablecoins under clear legal guidelines.
For Ripple, the Japan launch extends RLUSD’s geographic reach after the company recently expanded RLUSD into Türkiye through BiLira, Bitexen, and Bitlo. The stablecoin had reached US$1.7 billion in market capitalization by the time of the Japan launch announcement.
RLUSD market capitalization US$1.7 billion Ripple presented the stablecoin’s market-cap milestone as part of the official Japan launch announcement.That figure remains modest compared to the stablecoin leaders. USDT holds roughly $186 billion in market cap, while USDC sits at approximately $74 billion. RLUSD’s competitive angle relies less on scale and more on regulatory positioning in markets where compliance requirements are strict.
SBI Group’s distribution network gives Ripple immediate access to Japan’s retail and institutional investor base without needing to build local infrastructure from scratch. The Visa partnership with a Japanese Ripple affiliate for crypto credit card rewards illustrates how deeply embedded the Ripple-SBI ecosystem has become in Japan’s financial services landscape.
RLUSD’s entry into Japan positions Ripple in a market where regulatory clarity could accelerate institutional adoption of USD-denominated stablecoins. The zero-fee structure at launch removes an early friction point for users testing the product on SBI VC Trade.
Ripple has also been integrating AI into XRPL to strengthen security for tokenization and institutional use, suggesting that the stablecoin rollout is part of a broader infrastructure play rather than a standalone product launch.
The Mastercard expansion of stablecoin settlement support to include RLUSD alongside USDC, PYUSD, and USDG further demonstrates that major payment networks are beginning to treat Ripple’s stablecoin as a viable settlement instrument.
XRP was trading near US$1.082 at the time of publication, down 1.76% over 24 hours, with a market cap of approximately $67.1 billion.
XRP spot price US$1.082 24h change: -1.76% Readable public market page substituted for the API source to satisfy link rules while preserving the reported price context.Ethereum-only chain support at launch could limit initial usage for users accustomed to XRP Ledger-native transactions, though Ripple has not disclosed a timeline for additional chain support.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or investment advice. Cryptocurrency and digital asset markets carry significant risk. Always do your own research before making decisions.
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