Key Highlights
- SBI Holdings plans to launch security token bonds, using blockchain to manage the bonds fully in digital form.
- Investors who buy the bonds will receive XRP rewards along with regular interest payments.
- Trading is scheduled to begin in March 2026 on a digital market operated by Osaka Digital Exchange.
SBI Holdings, led by Yoshitaka Kitao, announced in Tokyo that it is preparing to issue security token bonds for individual investors. The bonds will be digitally managed via blockchain technology and will offer crypto-based benefits, with trading scheduled to begin in March 2026.
In a notice, the company said the planned product, officially titled the 1st Series Unsecured Security Token Bonds and nicknamed SBI START Bonds, will be its first issuance using a security token structure.
The firm has already submitted an amended shelf registration statement to the Kanto Local Finance Bureau as part of the preparation process. The bonds are designed mainly for domestic individual investors and corporations, allowing them to access a digitally managed bond product while also receiving token-based incentives.
How the blockchain system works
Instead of using the traditional system operated by the Japan Securities Depository Center, the bonds will run on the blockchain platform ibet for Fin, developed by BOOSTRY.
According to the announcement, “All processes—from issuance and administration during the term to redemption—will be completed electronically.” This structure allows the bond lifecycle to be handled through blockchain records rather than conventional centralized systems.
Trading for the bonds is scheduled to start on March 25, 2026, through the proprietary trading system “START” operated by Osaka Digital Exchange. Investors who buy the bonds and complete the required steps through SBI VC Trade will receive XRP based on how much they invest. These XRP benefits are planned to be distributed on each interest payment date in March 2027, March 2028, and March 2029.
XRP rewards and key dates
The total amount of bonds to be issued is JPY 10 billion (roughly $64.6 million), while each bond unit will cost JPY 10,000. The expected yearly interest rate is between 1.85% and 2.45%, with the final rate to be decided on March 10, 2026. The subscription period is expected to run from March 11 to March 23, 2026, with payment scheduled for March 24, 2026. The bonds will last for three years and mature on March 23, 2029. Interest will be paid twice every year.
SBI SECURITIES will act as the sole underwriter and lead manager, while Mizuho Bank will serve as the bond administrator and registry manager. The planned credit rating is A- by Rating and Investment Information (R&I). SBI Holdings also noted that the financial impact of the issuance is expected to be minimal.
The company explained that the initiative aligns with its broader digital asset strategy, noting that “the continued development of the ST bond market in Japan will contribute to the revitalization of the capital markets and, ultimately, to the sustainable growth of the real economy.”
Also Read: XRP Worth $284 Million Moved from Binance to Private Wallets
