SBI Holdings, one of Japan’s largest financial groups, has announced a strategic joint venture with blockchain infrastructure provider Startale Group to build an onchain platform for trading tokenized stocks and real-world assets.
The initiative aims to modernize traditional equity markets by offering round-the-clock trading, faster cross-border settlement, and fractional ownership. According to a joint press release, the platform will also integrate tokenized assets with decentralized finance (DeFi) protocols, expanding access for both retail and institutional investors.
By combining SBI’s established financial ecosystem with Startale’s blockchain expertise, the partners say they intend to fill “critical market gaps” in existing tokenized stock services. Features under development include advanced account abstraction, institutional-grade custody solutions, and real-time compliance monitoring designed to meet international regulatory standards.
The joint venture will establish two entities: one focused on core technology development and another dedicated to business growth and branding.
“We believe that the tokenized stock revolution is the largest opportunity, and onchain trading is the next frontier,” said Sota Watanabe, Founder of Startale Group. “While traditional markets remain closed 70% of the time, our platform will enable continuous, programmable trading of tokenized stocks, including U.S. and Japanese equities.”
Though a launch timeline has not yet been disclosed, the move reflects a broader industry shift toward tokenization. Market forecasts suggest the tokenized asset sector could reach $18.9 trillion by 2033, according to a recent report by Ripple and Boston Consulting Group.
Other financial players are also accelerating their efforts. In recent weeks, Robinhood announced it would deploy tokenized stocks on the Arbitrum network, while Kraken revealed plans to expand its xStocks offering to the Tron blockchain.
