SBI Holdings Bolsters XRP Ties with Bond Offering and Startup Support

SBI Holdings, a Japanese conglomerate, has made significant strides in deepening its integration with the XRP ecosystem. The firm has announced plans to issue a 10 billion yen security token bond, branded as SBI START Bonds, which promises an indicative annual interest rate between 1.85% and 2.45%. However, what sets this offering apart is the promise of XRP rewards to investors who participate.

The three-year debt instrument aims to contribute to the revitalization of Japan's capital markets and promote sustainable economic growth. To qualify for the XRP payouts, domestic investors must open and verify an account with SBI VC Trade by May 11. This move is seen as a strategic customer-acquisition strategy, funneling conservative retail money into SBI's digital asset platform.

In addition to the bond offering, SBI Ripple Asia has partnered with the Asia Web3 Alliance Japan (AWAJ) to establish a venture studio model that provides technical and regulatory support to regional startups. This initiative requires these startups to build their financial services natively on the XRP Ledger (XRPL). By funding a venture studio explicitly tied to the ledger, SBI aims to further fuel developer momentum on the blockchain network.