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SBI and Startale to Develop Regulated Yen Stablecoin for 2026 Launch

The effort uses Japan’s updated stablecoin rules to build institutional rails for cross-border settlement.

Overview

  • Shinsei Trust & Banking is designated to issue and redeem the yen-pegged token, with circulation managed by licensed exchange SBI VC Trade.
  • Startale will deliver the blockchain stack, smart contracts, and security infrastructure, while SBI handles compliance and institutional distribution.
  • Under the FSA framework and Payment Innovation Project, the token is planned as a Type 3 Electronic Payment Instrument that would avoid Japan’s ¥1 million cap on many digital transfers, with launch targeted for Q2 2026 pending approval.
  • The stablecoin is designed for FX settlement, cross-border payments, and tokenized real‑world assets, operating alongside Startale USD (USDSC) on the Soneium network.
  • SBI’s Yoshitaka Kitao cast tokenized settlement as an irreversible trend, and the partners are positioning the yen token for a share of a roughly $300 billion stablecoin market dominated by dollar-pegged coins.