SBI expands crypto footprint with planned Bitbank takeover

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SBI plans to acquire Bitbank

Highlights

SBI signed agreements to acquire all shares of Bitbank.
Bitbank is expected to become a wholly owned SBI subsidiary.
The exchange said existing services will continue without disruption.
The deal follows SBI’s April 2026 absorption of Bitpoint Japan.

SBI formalizes Bitbank deal

Bitbank said on June 24 that it had signed a basic agreement and share transfer agreement with SBI Holdings for the acquisition of all its shares. The company described the transaction as part of its planned entry into SBI Group.

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The agreement follows earlier discussions between SBI and Bitbank over a capital and business alliance. Those talks had already pointed to a possible share acquisition that would bring Bitbank into SBI’s group structure. SBI said in May that it wanted to use internal synergies to strengthen its position in Japan’s crypto industry.

Bitbank said the deal would not affect existing services. Customers can continue trading and using the platform as usual while the acquisition process moves forward. The exchange did not announce immediate changes to its brand, trading operations, account access, or customer terms.

That message is important because crypto exchange acquisitions often raise concerns about custody, fee structures, trading pairs and platform migration. For now, Bitbank is presenting the agreement as a corporate ownership change rather than an operational shift.

Japan crypto consolidation accelerates

The planned acquisition comes as Japan’s crypto market enters a period of consolidation. SBI VC Trade absorbed Bitpoint Japan in April 2026, allowing SBI to combine more exchange resources and reduce overlap across its digital-asset businesses.

Bitbank would add a larger exchange brand to SBI’s crypto footprint. The platform has operated in Japan’s regulated market for years, offering services around spot trading, lending and crypto-linked payments.

For SBI, full ownership of Bitbank could support a broader product strategy across exchange trading, rewards, settlement, stablecoins, and tokenized assets. The group already has major businesses in banking, securities, insurance, and digital assets, giving it a wider financial infrastructure than most standalone crypto platforms.

A larger regulated crypto platform

The deal shows how Japan’s digital-asset market is shifting toward larger regulated financial groups. As authorities review how crypto fits into funds, investor products and financial markets, smaller standalone platforms may face rising compliance and operating costs.

SBI’s strategy is broader than simply adding another exchange. The group has connected crypto trading with cards, rewards, and stablecoin distribution, including the Japan launch of Ripple’s RLUSD through SBI VC Trade after approval from the Financial Services Agency.

If completed, the Bitbank acquisition would give SBI another regulated route to reach crypto users in Japan. As previously covered, SBI Group launches Japan's first trust-based yen stablecoin.

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