SBI Holdings Completes ¥46.7 Billion Acquisition of Bitcoin Exchange Bitbank
Key Takeaways
- •SBI Holdings has finalized a ¥46.7 billion acquisition that makes Bitbank a wholly owned subsidiary, a status Bitbank confirmed on Oct. 1, 2026.
- •The transaction was completed through share repurchases from MIXI, the Japanese internet company that had previously held a stake in Bitbank.
- •Bitbank is a Tokyo-based, FSA-registered spot exchange supporting major cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin and ranks among Japan's most actively used domestic trading venues.
- •Full ownership gives SBI direct control of a retail-facing spot venue, a structure distinct from its joint venture SBI Ripple Asia, with positioning relative to SBI VC Trade to be detailed in future disclosures.
- •The deal reflects an ongoing consolidation trend in Japan's crypto exchange sector, in which established financial groups acquire existing venues, similar to Monex Group's purchase of Coincheck in 2018.
SBI Holdings has completed its ¥46.7 billion takeover of Bitbank, with the Japanese cryptocurrency exchange confirming on Oct. 1, 2026, that it now operates as a wholly owned subsidiary of the financial group.
In its official announcement, posted to the company's X account, Bitbank said the closing was carried out through share repurchases from MIXI, the Japanese internet company that had held a stake in the exchange.
SBI Holdings, headquartered in Tokyo, is one of Japan's largest financial services groups, with businesses spanning online securities, banking and asset management. The group has been among the most active traditional financial players in Japan's digital asset sector, operating crypto-focused units such as SBI VC Trade and the joint venture SBI Ripple Asia.
Bitbank, operated by Bitbank Inc., is a Tokyo-based exchange offering spot trading in major cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin (BTC), and has ranked among Japan's most actively used domestic trading venues. It operates under the registration regime that the Financial Services Agency (FSA) administers for crypto-asset exchange service providers in Japan. The transaction brings the platform under the full ownership of SBI, adding a retail-facing spot exchange to the group's existing digital asset infrastructure.
The deal also fits a broader consolidation pattern in Japan's exchange sector, where established financial groups have in recent years absorbed existing trading venues rather than building operations from scratch; Monex Group's takeover of Coincheck in 2018 stands as a prominent precedent.
For SBI, full ownership provides direct control over a spot venue serving Japan's retail-focused trading market, a structure distinct from the joint-venture format of SBI Ripple Asia. How Bitbank will be positioned alongside group units such as SBI VC Trade is expected to be detailed in the group's subsequent disclosures.
This report was first published by COINOTAG: https://en.coinotag.com/sbi-completes-46-7-billion-bitbank-acquisition
