SBI Holdings completed its full acquisition of Japanese cryptocurrency exchange Bitbank on October 1, 2026, making Bitbank a wholly owned subsidiary of the financial conglomerate.

The final stage of the transaction involved SBI Holdings acquiring the shares still held by MIXI and Ceres. Following the purchase, SBI Holdings obtained total indirect voting control of Bitbank through its corporate group, according to the company’s official announcement. The completion places Bitbank’s cryptocurrency exchange operations under the direct ownership of a financial group whose activities already span digital asset trading, stablecoins, and blockchain services.

ICYMI: 💰 SBI Holdings has completed its full acquisition of Japanese crypto exchange Bitbank, which is now a wholly-owned subsidiary of the financial conglomerate. pic.com/s0djnD4sMi — CoinMarketCap (@CoinMarketCap) October 3, 2026

The acquisition followed several months of discussions between SBI Holdings and Bitbank’s existing owners. In May 2026, SBI Holdings submitted a letter of intent outlining its plans to invest in and collaborate with Bitbank.

On June 25, SBI Holdings announced that it had reached a Basic Agreement and Share Transfer Agreement for the full acquisition of Bitbank. The transaction was conducted through SBICAH GK, a wholly owned subsidiary of SBI Holdings.

As part of the deal, SBICAH acquired shares held by Bitbank President and CEO Noriyuki Hirosue, as well as shares owned by several individual shareholders. Bitbank subsequently issued new shares to SBICAH. The proceeds were used by Bitbank to repurchase its own shares from MIXI and Ceres.

Once that process was completed, SBI Holdings gained full indirect control of Bitbank. The transaction formally closed on October 1.

Bitbank Exchange Operations to Continue

The change in ownership does not involve replacing or shutting down Bitbank’s exchange platform. Bitbank said customers would continue using the platform as before under the “Bitbank” name.

Bitbank also said that becoming part of the SBI Group would give it access to SBI’s financial services and other business resources. The exchange plans to use those resources to develop its digital asset trading operations.

For existing customers, the key point is that the acquisition does not change the availability of Bitbank’s exchange services. The company is expected to continue offering its current services while drawing on the broader financial infrastructure and capabilities of SBI Holdings.

Management Links With SBI VC Trade

The transaction also creates closer management ties between Bitbank and SBI VC Trade, another company within the SBI Group. Tomohiko Kondo, president and CEO of SBI VC Trade, has joined Bitbank’s board of directors.

At the same time, Bitbank President and CEO Noriyuki Hirosue has taken a position on the board of outside directors of SBI VC Trade. Hirosue will continue serving as Bitbank’s president and CEO, while Kondo will serve on Bitbank’s board.

The shared board appointments establish a direct management connection between the two organizations and are intended to facilitate collaboration and resource sharing within the SBI Group.

SBI Broadens Its Digital Asset Operations

The Bitbank acquisition is part of SBI Holdings’ broader expansion in digital assets. The company owns SBI VC Trade and has developed businesses involving cryptocurrency, stablecoins, and blockchain-related services. Full ownership of Bitbank adds a dedicated cryptocurrency exchange platform to that portfolio, bringing trading, stablecoin, and blockchain activities together within a single corporate structure.

SBI has also expanded into the stablecoin sector. In June 2026, it introduced JPYSC, a yen-based stablecoin developed in cooperation with Startale. SBI VC Trade has also distributed Ripple’s RLUSD in Japan.

When announcing the Bitbank transaction in June, SBI said the two companies had combined estimated assets of approximately ¥1.1 trillion and 2.92 million cryptocurrency accounts as of April 30. SBI noted that these figures were estimates based on data from both companies.

With the transaction complete, Bitbank has been incorporated into SBI’s broader digital asset business structure. The acquisition gives SBI Holdings full control of the Japanese cryptocurrency exchange in addition to its existing digital asset operations.

Bitbank Transfers JADAT Shares to Sumitomo Mitsui Trust

The acquisition comes as Bitbank makes a separate change to its digital asset custody business. Bitbank said on September 25 that it would transfer all shares of its subsidiary, Japan Digital Asset Trust Preparation Company, known as JADAT, to Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Bank. The details were also included in Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Holdings’ announcement.

JADAT was established to develop digital asset custody and trust services. Bitbank and Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Holdings have collaborated on the initiative since 2022.

The planned share transfer will move JADAT into the Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Group and separate the custody venture from Bitbank’s exchange operations, which are now fully owned by SBI Holdings. Unlike the SBI acquisition, which has formally closed, the JADAT transfer is an announced step that has yet to be completed. Once carried out, it will leave SBI Holdings in control of Bitbank’s exchange business while placing the custody operation under the Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Group.

The completion of SBI Holdings’ acquisition concludes a process that began with the company’s initial interest in Bitbank in May and progressed to the signing of the relevant agreements in June. The planned JADAT share transfer stands as the next announced change to Bitbank’s corporate structure. Bitbank will continue operating its cryptocurrency exchange while using the financial infrastructure and business resources available through the SBI Group.