SBI Unit Files Fourth ROBOPRO Bond Fund Anchored by Goldman Sachs Corporate Bonds
Key Takeaways
- •SBI Okasan Asset Management filed the Goldman Sachs Bonds / ROBOPRO Strategic Fund 2026-10, nicknamed Robot Plus 4, on September 15, making it the fourth fund in a series launched roughly quarterly since December 2025.
- •The fund pairs a stable portion of yen-denominated securities backed by Goldman Sachs corporate bonds held for roughly six years with an active portion using the ROBOPRO Strategy VT5 Index, for which SBI's FOLIO will advise Goldman Sachs International on allocation ratios.
- •The vehicle carries a 0.693% annual trust fee including tax, with the subscription period running from October 1 to October 28 and fund establishment planned for October 29, after which the manager may set the fee within that ceiling from November 7.
- •The filing lands just before the Bank of Japan's September 17-18 meeting, where a Reuters poll shows economists broadly expecting a rate increase from 1% to 1.25%, a level unseen since 1995, amid elevated producer prices that rose 7.6% year-on-year in August.
- •Despite SBI Group's extensive Ripple-related ventures, the new product sits entirely within its conventional asset-management business and centers on bonds and a multi-asset strategy rather than any blockchain-linked component.
SBI Group broadened its asset-management lineup on September 15 after its unit SBI Okasan Asset Management filed a new public investment fund pairing yen-denominated bonds with the group's ROBOPRO allocation strategy, according to the official announcement. The product, formally titled the Goldman Sachs Corporate Bonds / ROBOPRO Strategic Fund 2026-10 and nicknamed Robot Plus 4, is scheduled to begin accepting subscriptions on October 1.
The filing lands just days before the Bank of Japan concludes its September 17-18 policy meeting, with economists broadly expecting the central bank to raise its benchmark rate again.
Fourth Product in the Robot Plus Series
SBI Global Asset Management said its SBI Okasan Asset Management unit submitted the filing on September 15. The vehicle is classified as a unit-type public investment trust holding domestic and overseas assets, and it will become the fourth entry in the Robot Plus series. SBI introduced the first version in December 2025, followed by Robot Plus 2 in March 2026 and Robot Plus 3 in June 2026, a cadence that has added a new fund to the lineup roughly every quarter.
The fund is built around a stable investment portion and an active investment portion. The corporate bonds backing the yen-denominated securities are issued or guaranteed by Goldman Sachs Group. SBI plans to hold those for roughly six years, with the fund aiming to preserve principal when the bonds reach maturity.
Goldman Sachs Bonds Anchor the Structure
The active segment uses the ROBOPRO Strategy VT5 Index and seeks returns through changing asset allocations. FOLIO, an SBI Group company, will advise Goldman Sachs International on the allocation ratios that shape the related index. Goldman Sachs International will apply that advice within the index framework tied to the fund's active portion.
The fund carries an annual trust fee of 0.693%, tax included. From November 7, SBI Okasan Asset Management may set the rate within a ceiling of 0.693%. Under the current timetable, the subscription period runs from October 1 through October 28, and SBI plans to establish the fund on October 29.
This design separates the principal-focused bond allocation from the return-seeking ROBOPRO component.
BOJ Decision Frames the Rate Backdrop
Markets are also watching the Bank of Japan's September 17-18 policy meeting. The central bank's calendar confirms that the two-day meeting ends on Friday, September 18. A Reuters poll published this month found that economists widely expect the BOJ to raise its policy rate from 1% to 1.25%. A move to 1.25% would take Japan's policy rate to a level not seen since 1995.
The BOJ raised its rate to 1% in June and held it there in July. Recent wholesale inflation data, higher fuel costs, and yen weakness have kept expectations for another increase elevated. August producer prices rose 7.6% from a year earlier.
Japan's rate path also forms part of the market backdrop for yen-denominated fixed-income products. SBI filed Robot Plus 4 before the BOJ decision, but subscriptions will not open until October, placing the offering period after investors receive the central bank's September policy update.
Ripple Ties Remain Separate From the New Fund
SBI Group maintains a long-running business relationship with Ripple across financial and blockchain initiatives. The new product, however, sits within SBI's conventional asset-management business. The filing covers bonds, a multi-asset ROBOPRO strategy, fund fees, and subscription dates.
The fund instead relies on its two distinct components: a stable portion centered on yen-denominated securities linked to Goldman Sachs corporate debt, and an active portion that uses the ROBOPRO strategy to pursue returns through asset allocation. SBI plans the October launch after the BOJ's September rate decision, following three earlier Robot Plus funds since December 2025. For observers tracking the rollout, the calendar ahead runs from the September 18 conclusion of the BOJ meeting to the October 1 opening of subscriptions, the planned October 29 establishment of the fund, and November 7, when the trust fee may be set within its ceiling.
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or investment advice. Investment funds involve market, credit, and interest-rate risks, and targeted returns are not guaranteed.
