SBI issued a 10 billion yen blockchain bond in February 2026 paying returns in XRP (≈$64M), a clear institutional fundraising and token-adoption move by a major Japanese financial group/CEX operator. SBI plans to roll out Ripple's RLUSD stablecoin via its licensed exchange and expand SBI Ripple Asia partnerships with Asia Web3 Alliance Japan to back startups on the XRP Ledger, strengthening cross-border payment infrastructure and DeFi/token use cases. CEO Yoshitaka Kitao publicly said “XRP will be very expensive” and flagged a favorable US court ruling could trigger a major price jump; legal outcomes remain the main market risk.

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A 10 billion yen blockchain bond launched earlier this year by SBI Holdings may say more about Japan’s XRP ambitions than any price prediction could.

Crypto commentator Stellar Rippler brought the SBI CEO’s remarks to light, sparking fresh debate over XRP’s outlook.

SBI’s Long Game With Ripple

The Tokyo-based financial giant issued the bond in February 2026, offering investors returns paid out in XRP — a first for a major Japanese financial institution.

The move came alongside plans to roll out Ripple’s RLUSD stablecoin through SBI’s licensed exchange in Japan, and a new partnership between SBI Ripple Asia and the Asia Web3 Alliance Japan to back startups building financial tools on the XRP Ledger.

SBI’s ties to Ripple run deep. The company has been Ripple’s largest external shareholder since the two firms launched SBI Ripple Asia in 2016. That joint venture has spent nearly a decade building cross-border payment corridors across Japan, South Korea, India, and the Philippines — real infrastructure, not just announcements.

“XRP WILL BE VERY EXPENSIVE.”

No, this is not just David Schwartz’s confession. This was also said by the biggest financial giant of Japan, Yoshitaka Kitao, SBI Holdings CEO.

SBI is Ripple’s largest external shareholder. And he says clearly: “XRP will be very expensive.”… pic.twitter.com/mixB533ymR

— Stellar Rippler (@Stellar_Rippler) April 3, 2026

CEO’s Words Draw Attention

Against that backdrop, comments from SBI Holdings CEO Yoshitaka Kitao are drawing renewed attention. Kitao stated plainly that XRP “will be very expensive.” He also pointed to the ongoing legal proceedings between Ripple and US regulators, saying a court ruling in Ripple’s favor could trigger a significant jump in XRP’s price.

“If the decision is made and Ripple’s XRP is a coin, I think it will be a big price,” Kitao said. “If the conclusion is positive, I think it will be great.”

His remarks were shared widely in crypto circles after being posted on social media. Coming from the head of one of Japan’s largest financial services groups — one with direct financial stakes in Ripple — the statement landed differently than typical market commentary.

Kitao appeared to believe a ruling could come within weeks, based on reports circulating at the time. No confirmed court date has been publicly announced.

A Partnership Still Expanding

What makes the CEO’s comments worth following is the weight SBI carries in the Ripple story. This isn’t a speculative endorsement from the sidelines. SBI has put real money, real products, and real institutional infrastructure behind XRP over nearly a decade.

The February bond alone — worth roughly $64 million — signals that SBI is not pulling back. It is doubling down, using XRP as a direct reward mechanism for its investors in a market where regulatory approval for such products is hard-won.

Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView

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