SBI Gets MAS Approval to Buy Majority Stake in Coinhako

SBI Holdings said it has received approval from the Monetary Authority of Singapore and completed the acquisition of a majority stake in Singapore-based crypto platform Coinhako through its subsidiary SBI Ventures Asset, according to a company statement released on Friday. Coinhako operates mainly via Hako Technology Pte. Ltd., which holds a Major Payment Institution licence from MAS, and Alpha Hako Ltd., a crypto-asset service provider registered in the British Virgin Islands.

SBI plans to integrate Coinhako’s customer base, regional network and operational capabilities with its own financial services, technology and global reach to expand a cross-border digital-asset corridor beginning with Japan and Southeast Asia. The company said it will extend services connected to its existing crypto infrastructure, including the JPYSC yen-denominated stablecoin launched earlier this year, and will pursue tokenisation, onchain finance and greater cross-border trading between exchanges in its network.

Yoshitaka Kitao, chairman of SBI Group, commented in the statement that the group aims to connect exchanges globally so investors can make investments without being limited by national borders or currency differences, and that Singapore’s regulatory environment and Coinhako’s operations will support the group’s plans.

SBI did not disclose the exact size of the stake or the purchase price. The company said the acquisition will allow tighter integration with its payment and custody infrastructure and enable new product offerings, but it did not provide a timetable for launching specific services or for filing for approvals in other jurisdictions.

The transaction follows several recent moves by SBI in the digital-assets sector. Over the past month the firm was the sole investor in a $125 million Series C for risk modelling firm Gauntlet, led a $76 million Series C for EDX Markets, launched the JPYSC stablecoin, and entered a partnership with the Solana Foundation to support onchain finance development in Japan. In June, SBI acquired Japanese crypto exchange Bitbank for nearly $289 million and announced a partnership with Ondo Finance to explore tokenising Japanese equities.

Coinhako operates as a retail-focused crypto app in Singapore and holds licences and registrations that permit it to offer payment and crypto services in the region. SBI said the purchase is part of its broader strategy to connect exchanges and liquidity across markets while complying with local regulatory frameworks.