Woofun AI reports that SBI VC Trade, a subsidiary of SBI Holdings, has initiated the acceptance of applications for a Japanese yen-denominated stablecoin lending service, offering an initial annualized rate of 3% on JPYSC lent for 12 weeks. This strategic move aligns with broader industry developments, including a recent partnership between SBI Holdings and the Solana Foundation, as well as supportive regulatory signals from Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi regarding Web3 infrastructure.

The mechanics of the lending product were detailed in a press release issued on Monday, which confirmed that customers can begin lending JPYSC to the SBI Holdings subsidiary starting Thursday. Participants will receive their tokens back along with a lending fee at maturity, rather than periodic interest payments. At the advertised annualized rate, the gross return over the 12-week term calculates to approximately 0.69%, before tax. This yield structure is designed to be competitive within the current financial landscape, specifically targeting investors seeking returns that surpass traditional banking options.

Risk disclosure remains a critical component of the product’s framework, as the service is explicitly not a bank deposit and is not covered by deposit insurance.

Furthermore, the arrangement generally prohibits early cancellation, locking in the 12-week term.

A more critical variable is that JPYSC lent to SBI VC Trade falls outside statutory asset segregation requirements. Consequently, if the company were to face bankruptcy, customers could potentially lose some or all of their tokens, highlighting the inherent risks associated with non-insured digital asset lending.

Woofun AI data shows that the launch provides JPYSC with a new use case just weeks after SBI introduced the trust-structured yen stablecoin on June 24. This development signifies a broader evolution in Japan’s regulated stablecoin market, shifting focus from pure payment utilities to yield-bearing instruments. SBI VC Trade previously launched stablecoin lending services in Japan in March for Circle’s dollar-denominated USDC stablecoin. By offering yields exceeding the typical annual rate for yen deposits, which SBI cited as ranging from 0.325% to 1%, the company anticipates an expansion among yen-denominated stablecoin holders.

SBI claims this is the first service to allow Japanese customers to lend their yen-denominated stablecoins in exchange for passive yield, positioning the product as "core" for realizing the future of onchain finance. The company is simultaneously building infrastructure to move JPYSC beyond its own platform into a broader market for tokenized assets and cross-border settlement. On Monday, SBI Holdings announced a strategic partnership with the Switzerland-based Solana Foundation, aiming to build a Japanese onchain financial market. As part of this collaboration, the Solana Foundation will join SBI R3 Japan, which will be renamed SBI Solana Global and issue a new growth strategy focused on the yen-backed stablecoin.

The initiative aims to position Japan as a leading hub for onchain finance, while expanding stablecoins and tokenized real-world asset usage across Asia. It also includes building more infrastructure for institutional onchain financial services, cross-border payments, and payment infrastructure for AI agents. This expansion follows positive regulatory signals for Japanese Web3 startups and cryptocurrency companies. The Japanese government plans to strengthen support for crypto and Web3 startups, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi reportedly said during a video address at the WebX 2026 conference. Some of the promised measures include increased funding from government-backed funds and easing of regulatory requirements.

In May 2025, Takaichi introduced the "Startup Total Power Package," which outlined policies tied to increased governmental funding to accelerate startups. The package builds on the "Five-Year Startup Development Plan" formulated in 2022, which aims to increase investments in startups to 10 trillion yen by the fiscal year 2027. These policy shifts underscore a concerted effort to integrate digital assets into the mainstream economy. In April 2026, the Japanese government amended the Financial Instruments and Exchange Act to classify crypto assets as financial instruments, moving digital assets out of the experimental payments category into the same league as its stock market. This regulatory reclassification marks a pivotal moment for the industry, suggesting that the convergence of traditional finance and onchain assets is no longer theoretical but structurally embedded in national policy.