SBI Group Partners with Chainlink to Build Crypto Banking Tools in Japan

• SBI Group partnered with Chainlink to build crypto tools for banks, starting in Japan and later across Asia Pacific.
• The deal focuses on tokenized assets, cross border payments, and stablecoin reserve verification using Chainlink’s tech.
• This comes as SBI expands in crypto with Circle, Ripple, and Startale, while Japan prepares to approve a yen based stablecoin.

Japan’s big financial player, SBI Group, is teaming up with Chainlink to bring new crypto tools to banks, starting in Japan and spreading to other parts of Asia Pacific.

The partnership will start in Japan and later expand across the Asia Pacific region. Announced on Sunday, the partnership will focus on creating tools for tokenized assets and stablecoin verification, aiming to make blockchain more useful for banks and businesses.

New Tools for Finance

SBI and Chainlink plan to develop tools for things like onchain bonds and cross border payments using Chainlink’s technology. They’ll also use Chainlink’s data tools to provide real time asset value data for tokenized funds and verify stablecoin reserves on the blockchain.

Chainlink’s co-founder, Sergey Nazarov, said they’ve been working with SBI for a while on stablecoin settlements and advanced fund tokenization, and now they’re ready to roll these out on a bigger scale.

SBI’s chair, Yoshitaka Kitao, added that the partnership will help push stablecoin based transactions that meet regulations, enhancing digital asset use in Japan and beyond.

This is SBI’s fourth crypto deal in days, following partnerships with Circle for $USDC, Ripple for Ripple USD, and Startale for a 24/7 tokenized stock trading platform.

Japan’s Financial Services Agency is also set to approve a yen based stablecoin next month, led by JPYC, which could tie into SBI’s plans.

SBI VC Trade, the group’s crypto arm, is preparing to launch Ripple’s stablecoin by March 2026 and promote $USDC in Japan, underscoring its deeper move into the crypto market.