Japanese financial giant SBI Holdings has launched a new blockchain-based bond worth 10 billion yen ($64.5 million), offering investors fixed interest along with XRP crypto rewards.
The new product, called SBI START Bonds, will be recorded and managed using blockchain technology. The bonds run for three years and offer an annual interest rate between 1.85% and 2.45%, with payments made twice a year.
What makes these bonds different is the XRP bonus. Investors who put in at least 100,000 yen and use SBI’s crypto platform will receive XRP rewards. The bonus equals about 200 yen worth of XRP for every 100,000 yen invested.
The XRP rewards will be given when the bond is issued and again with each interest payment through 2029. This means investors will earn both traditional income and crypto incentives from a single investment.
The bonds are built on the “ibet for Fin” blockchain platform developed by BOOSTRY. They are also expected to start trading on the Osaka Digital Exchange, allowing investors to buy and sell them in the secondary market.
SBI has strong ties with Ripple Labs, the company behind XRP. SBI partnered with Ripple in 2016 and holds about 9% of the company. Both firms have worked together on crypto payment services and stablecoin projects.
The move is part of SBI’s larger plan to bring blockchain and crypto into traditional finance. By combining bonds with crypto rewards, the company is testing whether more investors will adopt tokenized securities.
Ripple is also expanding globally. The company recently received regulatory approval in the UK and is working to grow its services in Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. The new bond launch shows how crypto and traditional finance are becoming more connected.
