Ripple's $RLUSD Stablecoin Clears Japan's Regulatory Hurdles

Ripple's dollar-backed stablecoin $RLUSD has cleared Japan's financial regulator and is now available for use in the country. The Japan Financial Services Agency approved $RLUSD as a new type of electronic payment instrument under the Payment Services Act, allowing it to be used by both institutions and retail customers.

The approval marks a key regulatory step for $RLUSD, which will be available through SBI VC Trade's VCTRADE platform. Japan is one of the strictest stablecoin regimes in the world, making this approval significant.

Ripple has been working with SBI since 2016 on cross-border payments and blockchain infrastructure in Asia, and the launch of $RLUSD delivers on a memorandum of understanding signed in August 2025.