SBI Holdings Files for Japan’s First Bitcoin and XRP ETFs

Tokyo-based financial services group SBI Holdings has submitted regulatory filings to launch what could become Japan’s first exchange-traded funds investing directly in cryptocurrencies. One proposed vehicle, dubbed the Crypto-Asset ETF, would hold bitcoin and XRP, offering investors simultaneous exposure to the two largest tokens by market value after ether. A second product, the Digital Gold Crypto ETF, would allocate at least 51% of its assets to gold with the balance in digital currencies, according to the filing details shared by the company.

A successful approval would mark a significant milestone for Japan’s roughly US$210 billion banking and brokerage conglomerate, expanding the range of regulated crypto investment products available to local retail and institutional investors. Spot crypto ETFs are currently unavailable in the country, forcing investors to rely on offshore funds or organized exchanges for direct exposure.

Separately, the Dubai government has cleared retail investors to buy bitcoin options, widening access to crypto derivatives in the United Arab Emirates’ main financial hub. The twin developments underscore accelerating regulatory momentum across Asia to integrate digital assets into mainstream financial markets.

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