Financial conglomerate SBI Holdings launched a retail lending service in the USDC stablecoin for clients in Japan, marking the first such offering among licensed crypto companies in the country.
SBI VC Trade, a crypto platform that is part of Japan’s leading financial conglomerate SBI Holdings, announced the launch of a USDC lending service for retail investors. At the start of the program, users are offered yields of up to 10% annually for a 12-week term, while the standard expected return is around 5% per year.
The minimum participation requirement includes a limit of up to 5,000 USDC per account per placement. Interest is calculated based on the annual rate, deposit term, and amount provided. Funds are returned in USDC at the end of the period, including accrued rewards.
SBI VC Trade notes that the new service could serve as an alternative to foreign currency deposits: traditional banks typically offer yields in the range of 0.01–4% annually on U.S. dollar deposits, whereas USDC lending provides higher rates. At the same time, the company emphasizes that the stablecoin is backed by U.S. dollars and equivalent assets held in financial institutions with regular external audits, ensuring a high level of transparency and stability.
Additionally, users benefit from a simplified participation process — after depositing assets, no further actions are required until the end of the term. However, the company warns about risks, including the inability to terminate the agreement early and potential asset value fluctuations in certain scenarios.
The launch reflects the growing interest of Japan’s financial sector in stablecoin instruments. For example, another major Japanese banking group, Fukuoka Financial Group (FFG), recently initiated research into the technical feasibility of issuing stablecoins pegged to fiat and tokenized assets, as well as the practical use of blockchain wallets for both individuals and businesses.
