Ripple Expands XRP Custody in South Korea, SBI Plans Bitcoin-XRP ETF in Japan

's latest price was $, in the last 24 hours. The cryptocurrency has been making significant strides in various regions, particularly in South Korea and Japan. In South Korea, Ripple has officially launched XRP Custody Korea, a collaboration between Ripple and BDACS. This initiative aligns with the roadmap of South Korea’s Financial Services Commission, which aims to increase regulated exposure for digital currencies among accredited organizations in the region. The integration allows for compliant XRP storage and deployment across top Korean exchanges such as Upbit, Coinone, and Korbit, adhering to full AML/KYC standards. This move is expected to bolster the ecosystem, pushing for a future where protected, compliant blockchain infrastructure in Korea is more accessible.

BDACS, as one of the first institutional custody services for XRP in Korea, highlights how the partnership meets institutional client needs amid changing regulations. BDACS CEO Harry Ryoo emphasized that BDACS will offer Ripple a safe and robust custody service to support Ripple’s groundbreaking blockchain initiatives. The institutional XRP custody agreement will also provide more robust custody support for developers building on XRP Ledger and tokenization use cases through its RLUSD stablecoin model. This strategic positioning within the Busan blockchain special zone targets an estimated $16 trillion market size of the future 2030 custody market.

The collaboration between Ripple and BDACS is a recognition of a commonality in strategic alignment between the two entities, consistent with where the regulator (Korea FSC) wants this market to go in terms of institutionalizing digital assets. Through Ripple Custody, South Korean institutions will be able to access bank-grade custody and compliance mechanisms for institutional XRP custody, which supports long-term options of XRP and RLUSD. The introduction of new custody infrastructure is expected to increase the number of use cases for cross-border payments, tokenized securities, and stablecoin settlements, driving greater demand from institutional and developer communities to use XRP.

In Japan, SBI Holdings, one of Japan’s largest financial groups, has announced plans to launch Japan’s first Bitcoin-XRP exchange-traded fund (ETF). This move is a significant milestone for Japan’s regulated crypto investment space and offers new opportunities for both institutional and retail investors. The proposed dual-asset ETF will give investors exposure to two of the world’s most recognized cryptocurrencies: Bitcoin and XRP. This also strengthens SBI’s partnership with Ripple, the blockchain company behind XRP. By seeking approval for these products, SBI is aiming to create regulated paths for crypto investing, which aligns well with the rising appetite for digital assets across Japan. The firm’s plan to list these ETFs on the Tokyo Stock Exchange is a strong vote of confidence in Japan as a crypto hub. If approved, this would be the first time investors in Japan could gain crypto exposure via ETFs.

The Bitcoin-XRP ETF also shows SBI’s commitment to Ripple as a platform. SBI has worked closely with Ripple on payments and blockchain infrastructure in Asia, especially in Japan. This ETF is likely to deepen that relationship while giving investors an easy way to gain diversified crypto exposure. The second ETF proposal from SBI includes a mix of digital assets and gold-based investments. This product would allocate 51% to gold ETFs and 49% to cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin. This blend offers investors a more balanced portfolio. Gold serves as a hedge during market uncertainty, while digital assets provide higher room for growth. By offering both in one product, SBI is targeting investors who want crypto exposure but also want to manage risk.

Japan’s Financial Services Agency (FSA) has proposed changes that could reclassify certain crypto assets as financial instruments under the Financial Instruments and Exchange Act (FIEA). This would make crypto assets eligible for investment products like ETFs. SBI’s ETF proposals come at a time when Japan is attempting to change how it regulates cryptocurrencies. By moving early, SBI is setting itself up as a pioneer of sorts, ready to take advantage of any regulatory changes that benefit crypto ETFs. Japan is maturing in terms of crypto adoption. Many investors, both institutional and retail, are seeking safer and more regulated ways to enter the market. SBI’s ETF proposals answer that demand by providing exposure to top cryptocurrencies, under the oversight of Japan’s financial authorities.