What to know : SBI Holdings has submitted a letter of intent to acquire a stake in Bitbank, aiming to make the crypto exchange a consolidated subsidiary as part of its expanding digital asset business. The planned acquisition comes as Japan moves to classify cryptocurrencies as financial products under the Financial Instruments and Exchange Act, a change that could take effect as early as fiscal 2027. The Bitbank deal follows SBI’s absorption of Bitpoint, its planned majority stake in Singapore-based Coinhako, and a new Visa partnership offering credit cards that convert rewards into cryptocurrencies.
Japanese financial conglomerate SBI Holdings plans to acquire a stake in Bitbank, one of the country’s largest crypto exchanges.
The Tokyo-based broker submitted a letter of intent to Bitbank Co., Ltd. regarding the purchase of the exchange’s shares with the goal of turning it into a consolidated subsidiary, according to an announcement on Friday.
SBI frames the Bitbank move as part of its broader strategy to expand its crypto footprint and strengthen its position ahead of potential regulatory changes in Japan.
Japan’s cabinet approved a draft amendment last month that would classify cryptocurrencies as financial products, bringing crypto assets under the Financial Instruments and Exchange Act, which is used for stocks and other securities. If passed during the current parliament session, the law could take effect as early as fiscal 2027.
SBI already absorbed Bitpoint, a regulated Japanese crypto exchange that offers spot trading and has offered an onchain bond from which investors can receive rewards in XRP.
The move is also part of SBI’s broader regional expansion push, having disclosed plans to acquire a majority stake in Singapore-based Coinhako, a MAS-regulated digital asset platform in February.
SBI has also commenced a Visa partnership to launch credit cards that automatically convert spending rewards into crypto (BTC, ETH, or XRP), enabling users to accumulate digital assets through everyday purchases, according to a separate announcement on Friday.
免责声明：本文章仅代表作者个人观点，不代表本平台的立场和观点。本文章仅供信息分享，不构成对任何人的任何投资建议。用户与作者之间的任何争议，与本平台无关。如网页中刊载的文章或图片涉及侵权，请提供相关的权利证明和身份证明发送邮件到support@aicoin.com，本平台相关工作人员将会进行核查。
