Crypto News: SBI Holdings To Buy Bitbank In $288.6M Deal

Key Insights:

• Crypto news: SBI Holdings agreed to acquire Bitbank for 46.7 billion yen, or about $288.6 million.
• Bitbank will become a wholly owned SBI subsidiary if Japan’s Fair Trade Commission approves the deal.
• SBI says the deal could lift its crypto customer assets to about 1.1 trillion yen.

SBI Holdings has agreed to acquire Japanese cryptocurrency exchange Bitbank for 46.7 billion yen, or approximately $288.6 million. The transaction will make Bitbank an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of SBI after receiving approval from Japan’s Fair Trade Commission and satisfying other closing conditions.

The financial group expects the acquisition to close around October 2026. The deal strengthens SBI’s position in Japan’s regulated digital asset market as competition among licensed exchanges continues to intensify.

Crypto News: Ripple-Affiliated SBI Expands Its Crypto Business

SBI Holdings has moved to expand its position in Japan’s crypto market through the planned Bitbank acquisition. The group already operates SBI VC Trade, which offers crypto trading services in the country.

The company said the transaction would combine Bitbank’s exchange business with SBI’s existing crypto operations. It plans to use both platforms’ customer bases, compliance systems, service development teams, and management resources.

SBI also plans to develop more digital asset services after the acquisition. The company named stablecoins and other crypto-related financial products as areas for future work.

SBI has long maintained business ties with Ripple through joint projects and digital asset initiatives. The planned Bitbank deal adds another exchange asset to a group already active in crypto trading, custody, and blockchain finance.

The crypto news also follows SBI’s broader push into regulated digital asset services in Japan. The group has used licensed platforms, banking links, and financial subsidiaries to build its crypto operations.

Bitbank Deal To Create A Larger Japanese Exchange Group

Bitbank started operations in May 2014 and has grown into one of Japan’s most well-known crypto exchanges. The company says it has recorded no hacking incidents since its launch. SBI first disclosed talks with Bitbank in May 2026. The crypto news gives the financial group a path to full ownership, subject to regulatory checks and transaction terms.

The acquisition will take place in stages. An SBI subsidiary plans to buy shares from individual holders, including Bitbank’s founder, as early as August.

Bitbank will then acquire shares held by existing corporate shareholders, including MIXI and Ceres, by the end of October. After the process, SBI would control 100% of Bitbank’s voting rights.

The structure would place Bitbank inside SBI’s crypto business while keeping the exchange brand within a larger financial group. SBI has not announced any immediate changes to customer access or trading services.

Customer Assets Could Exceed 1 Trillion Yen

SBI said a simple combination of SBI VC Trade and Bitbank figures would lift group crypto customer assets to about 1.1 trillion yen. The figure uses data from the end of April 2026.

The same combined count would bring the group’s cryptocurrency accounts to about 2.92 million. SBI said those figures would place it at the top of Japan’s crypto exchange market by assets under management.

Other large operators include bitFlyer, which reported about 960 billion yen in assets at the end of December 2025. Coincheck reported about 800 billion yen at the end of March 2025.

Regulatory Review Remains Before October Closing

The transaction still needs merger clearance from the Japan Fair Trade Commission. SBI also must meet other closing conditions before it can complete the acquisition. The company expects the transaction to close around October 2026. That schedule follows the planned share purchases and regulatory review process.

The deal comes as Japan’s crypto sector continues to operate under strict oversight. Licensed exchanges must meet requirements on customer protection, compliance, security, and asset handling. The company plans to use Bitbank’s operating record and exchange base alongside SBI VC Trade’s existing services.

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