Circle Strengthens Commitment to Japan with New Investment and Expanded USDC Access

TOKYO--( BUSINESS WIRE )-- Circle Internet Group, Inc. , a global financial technology company and stablecoin market leader, today announced its deepened commitment to Japan by leveraging its Japanese entity, Circle Japan KK, and local partnerships to drive the adoption of Circle platforms and technologies in Japan. Circle’s partners in Japan will leverage Circle’s platforms to enable the adoption of USDC in Japan. These partnerships include a joint venture with Japanese financial conglomerate SBI Holdings, with SBI VC Trade initiating a full-scale launch of USDC on March 26, alongside plans by leading exchanges Binance Japan, bitbank and bitFlyer to list and distribute USDC in the near future.

On March 4, SBI VC Trade, a cryptocurrency exchange in Japan and subsidiary of SBI Holdings, secured regulatory approval to introduce USDC under the Japan Financial Services Agency’s stablecoin regulatory framework, making USDC the first and only global dollar stablecoin approved for use in Japan. Today’s announcement marks a milestone in the partnership that Circle and SBI Holdings began in 2023 to combine USDC distribution, banking and Web3 technology proliferation for the Japan market.

Circle’s launch in Japan establishes USDC’s market presence and liquidity in the country, while signaling growing institutional confidence in USDC’s utility and reliability. With a dedicated local entity, Circle is well-positioned to accelerate stablecoin adoption, enhance market infrastructure and support businesses and institutions by fostering talent to drive digital finance innovation. By integrating USDC into Japan’s digital finance ecosystem, Circle and its partners seek to provide reliable solutions for digital payments, settlements, and treasury operations.

“Japan has long been at the forefront of the adoption of Web3 and blockchain technology, and Japan’s regulatory leadership has similarly been out in front on clear rules for the use of stablecoins in the Japan financial system,” said Jeremy Allaire, Co-founder and CEO of Circle. “We are honored to bring USDC to businesses and consumers in the market, and with Circle Japan KK and the strong support of SBI Holdings and leading exchanges, USDC is positioned as a secure and transparent digital dollar that meets the needs of Japan’s evolving digital economy.”

“SBI Holdings is proud to play a key role in expanding USDC adoption in Japan, a move that enhances digital asset accessibility and promotes financial innovation,” said Yoshitaka Kitao, Representative Director, Chairman, President & CEO of SBI Holdings. “We believe this initiative will enhance financial accessibility and drive digital asset innovation, aligning with our broader vision for the future of payments and blockchain-based finance in Japan.”

USDC is a fully-reserved digital dollar backed 100% by highly liquid cash and cash-equivalent assets and is redeemable 1:1 for US dollars. The USDC reserves are held at regulated financial institutions with published third-party monthly attestations, providing a high level of transparency for businesses and users.

About Circle Internet Group, Inc.

Circle is a global financial technology firm that enables businesses and developers to harness the power of digital currencies and public blockchains for payments, commerce, and financial applications worldwide. Through its regulated affiliates, Circle is the issuer of USDC and EURC – fully reserved stablecoins accessible as open money protocols on the internet. Circle’s platform offers enterprise-grade APIs and SDKs to make it faster, easier, and safer for organizations to run internet-scale businesses on the blockchain, whether it is making international payments, building globally-accessible Web3 apps, or managing internal treasury. Learn more at https://circle.com .

About SBI Holdings, Inc.

Established in 1999 as a pioneer of Internet-based financial services in Japan, the SBI Group is a comprehensive Internet financial group that operates globally, encompassing five core businesses: “Financial Services Business,” such as securities, banking and insurance businesses; “Investment Business,” which is engaged in private equity investment including venture capital investment; “Asset Management Business,” that provides various asset management related services; “Crypto-asset Business,” which operates crypto asset trading and exchange services; and “Next Gen Business,” which includes business activities related to biotechnology, healthcare and medical informatics, Web3, and new overseas markets.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250324944828/en/