Circle Internet Financial is reinforcing its presence in Japan's digital assets sector as SBI VC Trade, a division of SBI Holdings, is set to launch trading of the USDC stablecoin on March 26, 2025. This development follows the establishment of Circle Japan KK to facilitate local operations and the approval of USDC as the first stablecoin under Japan's regulatory framework. Major exchanges, including Binance Japan, Bitbank, and BitFlyer, are also expected to participate in listing and distributing USDC, further expanding its usage in payments and cross-border finance in the region. The move marks a progression in Circle's partnership with SBI Holdings initiated in 2023, aimed at combining USDC distributions with banking and Web3 technologies. The new offering could provide Japanese companies with opportunities to develop custody services and stablecoin-based businesses, addressing an environment where yen stablecoins are still prohibited. Given the potential depreciation of the yen, this launch may also position USDC as a hedge for Japanese investors.

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