Japanese financial conglomerate SBI Holdings is moving to deepen its presence in the cryptocurrency sector by announcing plans to take a controlling position in Singapore’s Coinhako exchange.
On Friday announcementThe Tokyo-listed company said its subsidiary, SBI Ventures Asset, has signed a letter of intent with Coinhako’s parent company, Holdbuild, to recapitalize the company and purchase shares from existing investors. If the deal is completed, SBI Holdings will acquire a majority stake and Coinhako will become a consolidated subsidiary, subject to regulatory approval.
“Coinhako’s inclusion in SBI Group as a consolidated subsidiary is not just an investment in a single platform,” said president and CEO Yoshitaka Kitao, describing the acquisition as part of a broader effort to build an international infrastructure for digital assets, including tokenized securities and stablecoins.
According to the statement, financial terms and ownership details were not disclosed, and both the investment structure and the share purchase structure remain under discussion. This non-binding agreement will provide SBI with a licensed base in Singapore, one of Asia’s key regulated cryptocurrency hubs.
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Coinhako operates a licensed cryptocurrency trading platform in Singapore
Founded in Singapore, Coinhako operates a regional digital asset trading platform and related services through Hako Technology, a Master Payments Institution (MPI) licensed by the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS). The group also operates Alpha Hako, a registered virtual asset services provider regulated by the British Virgin Islands Financial Services Commission.
In 2021, SBI Holdings invested in Coinhako through the SBI-Sygnum-Azimut Digital Asset Opportunity Fund, a joint venture with Switzerland’s Sygnum Bank.
Coinhako co-founder and CEO Yusho Liu said the up-to-date partnership will enable the exchange to scale institutional-grade systems and meet “growing demand for tokenized assets and stablecoins, ensuring that Singapore remains at the heart of the next-generation global financial system.”
Cointelegraph reached out to SBI Holdings for comment but did not receive a response via publication.
Related: ‘Financially savvy’ cryptocurrency retail traders in Singapore prefer trust over low fees: survey
SBI Holdings expands blockchain reach
SBI Holdings has been actively involved in blockchain ventures for several years, investing in tokenization projects, payment networks and cryptocurrency-related businesses.
In December 2025, SBI partnered with Web3 infrastructure company Startale Group to develop a fully regulated Japanese yen-denominated stablecoin for tokenized asset markets and cross-border settlements. The token is to be issued and exchanged by Shinsei Trust & Banking, a unit of SBI Shinsei Bank, and will be circulated by the licensed cryptocurrency exchange SBI VC Trade.
In August, SBI Group partnered with Oracle blockchain network Chainlink to build digital asset tools for financial institutions in Japan and across the Asia-Pacific region.
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