The SBI Bitbank Acquisition is complete, with SBI Holdings owning all of the shares of Japanese cryptocurrency exchange Bitbank as of October 1, 2026. As a result of the transaction, Bitbank becomes an entirely owned subsidiary of SBI Holdings following some time spent discussing and completing the transaction between the exchange and its current owners.
According to the announcement made by the firm, the last part of the transaction saw the company purchase the shares still held by MIXI and Ceres. With the completion of this part, SBI Holdings has total indirect voting control over the firm via its corporate group.
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What Happened With the SBI Bitbank Acquisition?
The SBI Bitbank Acquisition took place after months of negotiations between the two firms. In May 2026, SBI Holdings made its intentions to invest in and collaborate with Bitbank known by submitting a letter of intent.
The process continued in June, when, on June 25, SBI Holdings announced that it had reached a Basic Agreement and Share Transfer Agreement for the full acquisition of Bitbank.
The deal took place via SBICAH GK, which is a wholly owned subsidiary of SBI Holdings. In terms of the acquisition, it included buying the shares of Bitbank President & CEO Noriyuki Hirosue and several individual stockholders.
As a result, new shares were issued to SBICAH. The money that was raised during that procedure was used by Bitbank to repurchase its own shares from MIXI and Ceres. After this procedure was completed, SBI Holdings gained full indirect control over Bitbank. The final step was completed on October 1, officially closing the SBI Bitbank Acquisition.
Bitbank Customers Can Continue Using the Exchange
The ownership transition is not about replacing or ceasing operation of Bitbank’s exchange platform. According to Bitbank, customers would be able to use the platform as before, referred to as “Bitbank”. Furthermore, it was reported by Bitbank that integration into the SBI Group would make it possible for Bitbank to have access to various financial services of SBI and other business assets of the company.
Bitbank intends to leverage these resources in the development of its digital assets trading operations. In case of existing clients, the most important thing is that the SBI Bitbank Acquisition does not cause any changes to the availability of the Bitbank exchange service.
Bitbank Links With SBI VC Trade
It also means closer management ties between Bitbank and SBI VC Trade. Tomohiko Kondo, the president and CEO of SBI VC Trade, is now sitting on the board of directors of Bitbank. On the other hand, Bitbank President and CEO Noriyuki Hirosue has taken a seat on the board of outside directors of SBI VC Trade.
This way, there is a direct management tie between the two organizations given that they belong to the same SBI Group. Hirosue will continue acting as Bitbank’s president and CEO, whereas Kondo will join the board of Bitbank. This move can allow for easier collaboration and sharing of resources among the two organizations.
SBI Expands Its Digital Asset Business
SBI Bitbank Acquisition is an announcement in line with the further development of SBI Holdings’ operations within the digital assets industry.
Currently, SBI Holdings owns SBI VC Trade and has diversified its operations by including cryptocurrency, stablecoins, and blockchain-related services.
Furthermore, SBI has started operating within the stablecoin space. In June 2026, the company introduced JPYSC – a yen-based stablecoin, developed together with Startale. Additionally, SBI VC Trade has also distributed Ripple’s RLUSD in Japan.
With the Bitbank announcement in June, SBI has revealed that the combined figures as of April 30 were an estimated amount of assets held by the two firms of about ¥1.1 trillion, with 2.92 million cryptocurrency accounts. SBI has pointed out that these were estimates made according to the figures of both firms.
Now, the successful acquisition of Bitbank means adding Bitbank to the broader digital asset structure of SBI.
Bitbank Transfers JADAT to Sumitomo Mitsui Trust
This is coming at a time when Bitbank has made another development with respect to its digital asset custody operation.
Bitbank has stated that on September 25, it will be transferring all shares of its subsidiary called Japan Digital Asset Trust Preparation Company, or JADAT, to Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Bank.
JADAT is the name of a company that has been formed with the aim of developing digital asset custody and trust services. Bitbank and Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Holdings have been collaborating on the initiative since 2022.
The scheduled transfer of shares will ensure that JADAT moves towards Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Group, which ensures that the custody venture will be separated from the exchange operation, now fully owned by SBI Holdings.
What the SBI Bitbank Acquisition Means for the Exchange
The finalization of the SBI Bitbank Acquisition marks the end of a process that started when SBI first showed its interest in May and continued into June with the signing of agreements.
The Bitbank cryptocurrency exchange will keep running while also gaining an advantage from being part of the SBI Group. It is noted that the company will keep offering all its services to clients while making use of the financial infrastructure and capabilities of SBI.
The acquisition provides SBI Holdings with total control of the crypto exchange in Japan on top of its current businesses dealing in digital assets. This purchase is also important in aligning Bitbank’s corporate structure with that of SBI VC Trade.
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