Stablecoin News: Ripple’s RLUSD Goes Live in Japan

Key Insights:

• Ripple’s RLUSD is now available in Japan after approval from the Japan Financial Services Agency.
• SBI VC Trade will offer RLUSD to both institutional and retail users on its VCTRADE platform.
• RLUSD has a market value of about $1.6B to $1.7B, far below USDT and USDC.

Ripple has launched its RLUSD stablecoin in Japan after receiving regulatory approval from the Japan Financial Services Agency. The U.S. dollar-backed token will trade through SBI VC Trade, the crypto arm of SBI Holdings. The approval allows both retail and institutional users in Japan to access RLUSD. The stablecoin news adds another regulated market to Ripple’s stablecoin business. It also comes as Japan expands its rules and services for digital payment tokens.

Stablecoin News: Japan Approves RLUSD Under Payment Services Act

Japan’s Financial Services Agency approved RLUSD as an electronic payment instrument under the Payment Services Act. The category covers foreign-issued stablecoins that meet Japan’s local standards. This stablecoin news gives RLUSD a legal route into one of Asia’s strictest digital asset markets.

RLUSD tracks the U.S. dollar and aims to keep a stable value. Ripple says the reserves include U.S. dollar deposits, short-term U.S. government bonds, and cash equivalents. The reserve structure supports the token’s use in payments, settlement, and other financial services.

The launch follows a memorandum of understanding signed by Ripple and SBI in August 2025. It also extends a business relationship that began in 2016. Ripple and SBI have worked together for years on blockchain infrastructure and cross-border payment services in Asia.

SBI VC Trade Opens RLUSD to Retail and Institutional Users

SBI VC Trade will offer RLUSD through its VCTRADE platform. The platform serves both individual customers and institutional clients in Japan. This gives Ripple a local distribution partner with an existing digital asset business.

Ripple said RLUSD can support payments, tokenization, and collateral management. Jack McDonald, Ripple’s senior vice president of stablecoins, said the partnership can connect Japanese businesses and users to global liquidity. The token gives users a dollar-linked asset inside Japan’s regulated crypto market.

Japan has also seen more local stablecoin activity. SBI Group launched JPYSC, a trust bank-backed yen stablecoin, with Startale Group. MUFG, SMBC, and Mizuho have also planned live commercial transactions using a jointly issued stablecoin within the fiscal year ending March 2027.

RLUSD Enters a Market Led by Larger Stablecoins

Ripple launched RLUSD in 2024 as a regulated dollar stablecoin. The token remains smaller than the top stablecoins in circulation. Market data cited in the reports placed RLUSD’s market value at $1.6-$1.7 billion, with about $116.7 million in 24-hour trading volume.

Tether’s USDT and Circle’s USDC still lead the dollar stablecoin market by a wide margin. USDT has about $186 billion in market value, while USDC has about $74 billion. RLUSD will need more liquidity, exchange access, and user activity to close that gap.

Ripple has kept RLUSD separate from XRP, the crypto asset closely linked to its brand. RLUSD targets stable payments and settlement use cases, while XRP trades as a market asset. The Japan launch shows Ripple’s wider move into regulated digital finance beyond XRP.

XRP Price Prediction: Falling Wedge Remains in Focus

XRP price also drew attention after EGRAG Crypto shared a chart showing a falling wedge structure. The chart placed XRP crypto inside a narrowing range, with price action moving below a red descending line. The setup also showed the 50 EMA and 222-week moving average near the current trading zone.

The XRP price prediction marked $1.65 as a key level to watch. A weekly close above that area would show stronger movement out of the wedge. The analyst’s chart also pointed to a higher breakout path if XRP crypto holds structure and clears resistance.

The XRP price prediction showed a possible long-term target near $8.30. That target depends on price breaking above resistance and maintaining momentum after the wedge.

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