SBI opens JPYSC stablecoin lending with 3% yield on July 16

SBI Group will begin accepting applications July 16 for a new lending service on its JPYSC stablecoin, offering a fixed 3% annual yield on tokens locked for a 12-week term, the company confirmed in a press release. The product, distributed through SBI VC Trade, adds a yield-bearing use case to Japan’s first trust bank-backed yen stablecoin less than a month after its June 24 launch.

If introduced as reported, the lending program would allow users to lock their JPYSC holdings for a three-month period in exchange for a fixed 3% annual return. The move comes only weeks after SBI rolled out the stablecoin, highlighting how quickly the company is building financial products around regulated blockchain-based assets.

The reported launch also reflects a broader trend unfolding across Japan, where banks, payment companies, and retailers are increasingly embracing stablecoins as part of the country’s digital finance transformation.

JPYSC stablecoin moves beyond payments

The JPYSC stablecoin was unveiled earlier this year through a partnership between SBI Holdings and Startale Group. Issued by SBI Shinsei Trust Bank, it operates under Japan’s Type III Electronic Payment Instrument framework, one of the country’s regulated structures governing stablecoin issuance.

Unlike many privately issued digital assets, JPYSC is fully backed on a one-to-one basis by the Japanese yen held in trust. Its design focuses on supporting secure payments, treasury management, institutional settlements, tokenized assets, and cross-border transactions.

At launch, SBI positioned the stablecoin as infrastructure capable of bridging traditional financial systems with blockchain technology. The company said it was designed to reduce transaction costs, improve efficiency for high-value transfers, and support both corporate and retail users.

SBI VC Trade serves as the primary distribution platform, allowing customers to access and utilize the digital currency within Japan’s regulated crypto environment.

Industry observers have long argued that yield-bearing services could encourage wider adoption of regulated stablecoins by giving holders an additional incentive beyond simple payments or transfers. The reported lending product would represent one of the first such offerings attached to Japan’s trust bank-backed stablecoin market.

SBI continues aggressive digital asset expansion

The reported lending service arrives during an exceptionally active period for SBI’s cryptocurrency business.

In recent weeks, the financial conglomerate significantly expanded its digital asset investments. On July 7, SBI became the sole investor in Gauntlet’s $125 million Series C funding round. The company also invested $76 million as the exclusive backer of institutional crypto marketplace EDX Markets, while completing its acquisition of Japanese cryptocurrency exchange Bitbank in a deal valued at nearly $289 million.

EDX Markets said the fresh capital will support expansion across trading infrastructure, clearing, settlement services, product development, and international growth initiatives.

SBI has consistently described these investments as part of its long-term strategy to build regulated digital financial infrastructure that integrates blockchain technology into mainstream financial services.

The addition of a lending program for the JPYSC stablecoin would further strengthen that strategy by creating additional use cases for digital yen while encouraging customers to keep assets within SBI’s regulated ecosystem.

The company has repeatedly emphasized that blockchain technology can improve efficiency across traditional finance, particularly for institutional settlements and tokenized financial products.

Speaking about digital assets previously, SBI Holdings Chairman and CEO Yoshitaka Kitao has consistently argued that blockchain and tokenization will play an increasingly important role in the future of financial markets, positioning regulated digital assets as a natural evolution of banking services.

Japan’s stablecoin market continues to grow

The reported SBI initiative also arrives as stablecoin adoption accelerates across Japan’s financial and commercial sectors.

According to another Nikkei report published Monday, convenience store operator Lawson has begun testing payments using the JPYC stablecoin at one of its retail locations. JPYC has been recognized as Japan’s first legally approved yen-backed stablecoin, marking another milestone for digital payment adoption in the country.

Meanwhile, Japan’s three largest banking groups—Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group (MUFG), Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group (SMBC), and Mizuho Financial Group—announced last month that they intend to begin live commercial transactions using a jointly issued stablecoin during fiscal year 2026.

The coordinated effort from Japan’s largest banks demonstrates growing institutional confidence in regulated stablecoins as a practical payment infrastructure rather than simply speculative digital assets.

The country’s stablecoin regulatory framework, introduced after amendments to the Payment Services Act, has been widely viewed as one of the clearest legal structures for stablecoin issuance globally. By limiting issuance primarily to banks, trust companies, and licensed money transfer providers, Japanese regulators have sought to improve consumer protection while encouraging innovation.

Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda has previously noted that while stablecoins could contribute to payment innovation, maintaining financial stability and robust regulation remains essential as digital payment technologies evolve.

Yield products could accelerate adoption

If SBI proceeds with the reported launch, the lending program could represent an important milestone for the JPYSC stablecoin by expanding its functionality beyond payments and settlement.

Yield-bearing products have become increasingly common within the broader digital asset industry, although many have faced regulatory scrutiny in overseas markets. Japan’s regulated trust-bank model provides a more structured framework that may allow carefully designed financial products to emerge under established legal oversight.

Offering a fixed annual return could make the JPYSC stablecoin more attractive for users seeking low-risk exposure to digital payment infrastructure while maintaining price stability through its full yen backing.

As Japanese banks, exchanges, retailers, and institutional investors continue investing in blockchain-based payment systems, regulated stablecoins are steadily moving closer to mainstream financial adoption.

Should the reported lending service launch this month, it would reinforce SBI’s position as one of Japan’s most active digital asset innovators while highlighting how the JPYSC stablecoin is evolving from a payment tool into a broader financial product within the country’s rapidly developing blockchain economy.