A joint venture has been established between SBI Holdings, Inc. and Circle Internet Holdings, Inc., marking a significant collaboration in the digital finance sector. This agreement comes after a strategic Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed in November 2023, aimed at fostering the circulation of USDC, the stablecoin issued by Circle, and accelerating the use of Web3-related services in Japan.
Prior to this venture, SBI Holdings and Circle Internet Financial, another affiliate of Circle, committed to a strategic business partnership to explore various avenues for utilizing USDC within Japan’s financial landscape. An agreement formalizing this joint venture was signed in March 2025, indicating a step towards practical implementations of their shared goals.
The focus of this collaborative effort is to drive the adoption of USDC in Japan while also exploring innovative applications within digital finance and the Web3 space. This initiative is expected to leverage the extensive financial infrastructure of SBI Holdings alongside Circle’s prolific expertise in the cryptocurrency and blockchain domains.
Furthermore, as part of its strategic investment in Circle, SBI Holdings acquired shares valued at USD 50 million when Circle went public on the New York Stock Exchange. This investment is part of a broader strategy to foster innovation in Japan’s digital financial ecosystem and to enhance the synergy between traditional finance and emerging digital currencies.
By merging the capabilities of both companies, the joint venture aims to create new opportunities for financial interactions in a digital context, thereby enhancing user engagement and expanding the functionalities of digital currency in daily transactions. The collaboration is set to play a pivotal role in the evolution of Japan’s approach to digital finance, positioning both entities at the forefront of this rapidly evolving sector.
In summary, the partnership represents a strategic alignment of resources and expertise that seeks to redefine the financial landscape in Japan by advocating for and implementing advanced digital currency solutions, with the aim of capitalizing on the growing trend of cryptocurrency adoption and Web3 innovations.