Overview
- SBI Holdings and Startale signed a memorandum of understanding to co‑develop a fully regulated yen‑pegged stablecoin for global settlement and institutional use.
- Shinsei Trust & Banking will handle issuance and redemption, while SBI VC Trade will manage circulation as a licensed crypto asset exchange.
- Startale will lead technical development across smart contracts, security and blockchain integration, drawing on its stack that includes the Sony‑backed Soneium network.
- The project is part of the FSA’s Payment Innovation Project and is planned to operate as a Type 3 electronic payment instrument that avoids Japan’s ¥1 million domestic transfer cap.
- Launch is targeted for Q2 2026 pending final regulatory approvals and testing, with the yen token designed to complement Startale USD for FX, settlement and tokenized asset flows.