SBI Partners with Chainlink to Drive RWA Tokenization and Cross-Border Payments in Asia

SBI Group, one of Japan’s largest financial conglomerates, has announced a strategic partnership with Chainlink, the leading decentralized oracle network, to accelerate the tokenization of real-world assets (RWAs), funds, and regulated stablecoins in Asia and beyond [1]. The collaboration is designed to integrate Chainlink’s Cross-Chain Interoperability Protocol (CCIP) to enable secure and efficient cross-border transactions, addressing persistent barriers to institutional adoption such as interoperability and regulatory uncertainty [2]. This partnership aligns with Japan’s growing interest in digital finance and real-world asset tokenization, as evidenced by a recent SBI survey indicating that 76% of Japan’s banks are exploring tokenized securities [12].

SBI Group, which manages over $200 billion in assets, is leveraging Chainlink’s decentralized infrastructure to develop institutional-grade tools for asset tokenization and cross-border compliance. These include solutions for on-chain net asset value (NAV) verification and payment versus payment (PvP) transactions using stablecoins [5]. The initiative supports the tokenization of real estate, government bonds, and other tangible assets, enhancing transparency and operational efficiency for institutional investors [4].

The collaboration also highlights SBI’s strategic pivot away from Ripple, with which it previously had a significant investment relationship. Despite Ripple’s potential, Chainlink’s established CCIP product and its ability to adapt quickly to institutional needs made it the preferred partner. SBI’s President and CEO, Yoshitaka Kitao, emphasized the compatibility between SBI’s ambitions and Chainlink’s capabilities, particularly in using stablecoins for compliant cross-border transactions [3]. Chainlink’s Co-Founder, Sergey Nazarov, noted the project’s potential for large-scale production use, underscoring the platform’s robustness and scalability [3].

This partnership is part of a broader regulatory shift in Japan, where the Financial Services Agency is expected to approve the country’s first yen-backed stablecoin. Such developments are likely to accelerate the adoption of tokenized assets in institutional markets [6]. SBI and Chainlink’s collaboration is positioned to support this regulatory environment, offering solutions that align with compliance requirements and institutional confidence [7].

For investors, the partnership highlights three key areas of opportunity: blockchain infrastructure providers like Chainlink, financial institutions with digital ambitions such as SBI Holdings, and regulatory-ready stablecoins [8]. The market for RWA tokenization is expected to grow significantly, with estimates suggesting it could reach $16 trillion by 2030 [9]. SBI and Chainlink’s tools are positioned to capture a meaningful portion of this growth by providing scalable, institutional-grade solutions [10].

The collaboration is also expected to drive innovation in cross-border payments and asset management. By integrating SmartData solutions for real-time asset verification and stablecoin reserve tracking, SBI and Chainlink are addressing the transparency and diversification needs of institutional investors [11]. This infrastructure is particularly relevant in Japan, where demand for tokenized securities is increasing rapidly [12].

The partnership represents a strategic alignment of SBI’s deep market knowledge with Chainlink’s technological leadership, addressing long-standing pain points in digital asset adoption [13]. For early-stage investors, the collaboration reflects a rare convergence of vision, innovation, and market demand, positioning both firms as key players in the next decade of financial evolution [14].

Source:

[1] cointurk news (https://en.coin-turk.com/chainlink-partners-with-sbi-to-dominate-institutional-crypto-assets/)

[2] AInvest (https://www.ainvest.com/news/sbi-chainlink-partner-drive-asia-financial-tokenization-cross-border-payments-2508/)

[3] AInvest (https://www.ainvest.com/news/rise-institutional-grade-tokenization-sbi-chainlink-partnership-catalyst-asia-digital-finance-revolution-2508/)

[4] The Cryptonomist (https://en.cryptonomist.ch/2025/08/25/sbi-manages-over-200-billion-usd-in-assets-and-chainlink-accelerate-the-tokenization-of-real-assets-in-japan/)

[6] CryptoSlate (https://cryptoslate.com/76-of-japans-banks-eye-tokenized-securities-as-sbi-bets-on-chainlink/)

[11] AInvest (https://www.ainvest.com/news/rise-institutional-grade-tokenization-sbi-chainlink-partnership-catalyst-asia-digital-finance-revision-2508/)