Circle to Officially Launch USDC Stablecoin in Japan

Circle has announced that it will officially launch its US dollar stablecoin (USDC) in Japan.

On March 26, the stablecoin will be listed on the SBI VC Trade crypto exchange, a joint venture between Japanese financial giant SBI Holdings and Circle’s Japanese subsidiary, Circle Japan KK.

"CIrcle’s launch in Japan establishes USDC’s market presence and liquidity in the country, while signaling growing institutional confidence in USDC’s utility and reliability," Circle stated. "By integrating USDC into Japan’s digital finance ecosystem, Circle and its partners seek to provide reliable solutions for digital payments, settlements, and treasury operations."

The launch follows SBI VC Trade’s regulatory milestone on March 4, when it became the first firm to receive approval from Japan’s Financial Services Agency to list USDC under the country’s stablecoin regulatory framework.

Circle also intends to expand USDC in Japan by listing it on major exchanges including Binance Japan, bitbank, and bitFlyer in the near future.

Circle CEO Jeremy Allaire revealed that the approval comes after two years of negotiations with regulators, banking partners, and industry stakeholders.

“[This] unlocks tremendous opportunities not just in trading digital assets, but more broadly in payments, cross-border finance and commerce, FX,” he said.

SBI Holdings CEO and president Yoshitaka Kitao added that the initiative will "enhance financial accessibility and drive digital asset innovation, aligning with our broader vision for the future of payments and blockchain-based finance in Japan.”

Stablecoins have gained popularity, especially in developing regions such as Southeast Asia, Africa, and Latin America, where they provide an alternative to traditional banking systems. USDT, the largest stablecoin by market capitalization, is valued at $142 billion, while USDC holds a market cap of $58 billion.

Thailand Approves USDC, USDT Stablecoins on Cryptocurrency List

Thailand’s SEC adds USDT and USDC to its approved crypto list, boosting liquidity. New rules take effect 16 March, allowing stablecoin trading

BlockheadBlockhead

Earlier this month, Thailand’s Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) added Tether’s USDT and Circle’s USDC to its approved list of cryptocurrencies. A public consultation was held in February in which most respondents supported the proposal of adding USDT and USDC.