Ripple has reached a major milestone in Japan after securing approval to launch its stablecoin, RLUSD, in the country. The move follows an expanded partnership with long time collaborator SBI Group and marks another significant step in Ripple’s global expansion.
At the same time, RLUSD continues to gain momentum in both adoption and market value, with its market capitalization reaching $1.6 billion according to CoinGecko.
RLUSD Launches in Japan
Ripple’s entry into the Japanese stablecoin market became possible after regulatory approval from the Japanese Financial Services Agency.
The launch was facilitated through SBI Holdings’ licensed subsidiary, SBI VC Trade, which operates under an Electronic Payment Instruments Exchange Service Provider license. Through this approval, RLUSD will now be available to users in Japan.
Ripple and SBI initially signed a memorandum of understanding in August. Both companies described the launch as a major breakthrough, positioning RLUSD within one of the world’s most advanced and forward thinking digital asset markets.
Under Japan’s Payment Services Act, RLUSD has been classified as a new category of electronic payment instrument designed specifically for foreign issued stablecoins. This framework ensures strict safety and regulatory compliance under Japanese law.
Both institutional and retail users in Japan will be able to access RLUSD through SBI VC Trade’s VCTRADE platform.
Jack McDonald, Ripple’s Senior Vice President of Stablecoins, highlighted Japan’s leadership in digital asset innovation, noting that the country’s regulatory clarity and financial infrastructure make it a key market for stablecoin expansion.
SBI VC Trade CEO Tomohiko Kondo also praised the strong partnership between SBI and Ripple, describing RLUSD’s launch in Japan as another major milestone for both organizations.
RLUSD Continues Strong Growth
Despite facing regulatory challenges in the United States during its earlier development, Ripple successfully launched RLUSD in late 2024.
Although the stablecoin was initially designed with institutional use in mind, RLUSD has seen rapid adoption over the past two years. Its growth has been supported by partnerships across exchanges and payment networks, including collaboration with Mastercard.
Ripple has also expanded RLUSD’s presence across multiple trading platforms to improve liquidity and accessibility.
According to CoinGecko data, RLUSD’s market capitalization has climbed to $1.6 billion, slightly below Ripple’s internal estimate of $1.7 billion. Even so, RLUSD now ranks among the top 50 cryptocurrencies by market capitalization and stands as the 10th largest stablecoin in the market.#crypto#cryptonews https://coinsignals.net https://t.me/coinsignalpublic
