Circle has announced that its USDC stablecoin will officially launch in Japan on March 26, marking a significant milestone in the country’s evolving digital finance landscape. SBI VC Trade, a subsidiary of a major Japanese financial organization, SBI Holdings, received regulatory approval for the listing of USDC under Japan’s new stablecoin framework.
USDC’s launch in Japan is a strategic partnership between the US issuer Circle and SBI. The SBI VC Trade exchange will have the first access to the stablecoin, as well as subsequent listings on Binance Japan, bitbank, and bitFlyer soon.
BREAKING NEWS: Circle becomes the first and only stablecoin to be approved for use in Japanese markets, with Circle launching new operations, a strategic JV with SBI Holdings, and imminent launch of USDC by SBI VC Trade, with other major exchanges to follow.
— Jeremy Allaire – jda.eth / jdallaire.sol (@jerallaire) March 24, 2025
We have spent 2+…
Circumstances with the financial regulators and other stakeholders started to take place before other questions. As money continues its evolution from cash and coins to mobile payment apps, the next step is clear. The future of money is undoubtedly digital assets.
Yoshitaka Kitao, SBI Holdings CEO, stated that bringing USDC to Japan is part of the philosophy of the company that makes financial access possible and that helps from the blockchain perspective. Circle and SBI joining forces will lead to a more rapid adoption of Web3 and digital finance solutions.
Japan’s stablecoin strategy has evolved after the amendment of regulations that restricted foreign stablecoins. The Financial Services Agency (FSA) has been working to improve its policies to support stablecoin adoption.
USDC, the second-largest stablecoin by market cap, enters Japan, indicating a broader trend of integrating stablecoins into the traditional financial system. This initiative is going to change the whole crypto market of the country greatly since it will let users have an authenticated digital currency.
