Japanese financial heavyweight SBI Group has significantly backed stablecoin issuer Circle, injecting $50 million into the company's recent upsized initial public offering (IPO) on the New York Stock Exchange.
This substantial investment, split equally between SBI Holdings and its subsidiary SBI Shinsei Bank, underscores a strategic move to deepen ties within the burgeoning digital asset space.
The commitment from SBI follows a broader collaboration that saw the two firms launch Japan’s first regulated access to USDC via the licensed SBI VC Trade crypto exchange in March.
This initiative, spurred by revisions to Japan’s stablecoin registration requirements, also includes the formation of a joint venture, Circle SBI KK Japan. Their shared objective is clear: to accelerate the adoption of USDC among Japanese businesses and consumers.
Circle’s IPO, which commenced on June 4th, proved to be a resounding success, raising approximately $1.1 billion from the sale of 34 million shares. Notably, Cathie Wood’s Ark Invest was among the prominent investors, acquiring 4.48 million shares valued at $373.4 million.
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