XRP Headed For A Price Shock, Japan’s Financial Heavyweight Says

SBI Holdings CEO Yoshitaka Kitao, whose company is Ripple's largest external shareholder, stated that XRP 'will be very expensive,' citing potential positive outcomes from Ripple's ongoing legal proceedings with US regulators. SBI has backed its XRP commitment with a $64 million blockchain bond offering XRP returns and plans to roll out Ripple's RLUSD stablecoin through its licensed Japanese exchange.

• →SBI Holdings CEO publicly stated that XRP 'will be very expensive' and expects significant price increases following favorable legal rulings for Ripple.
• →SBI launched a 10 billion yen ($64 million) blockchain bond in February 2026 that pays returns in XRP, marking a first for major Japanese financial institutions.
• →The company plans to introduce Ripple's RLUSD stablecoin through SBI's licensed exchange in Japan as part of expanding partnership initiatives.
• →SBI has been Ripple's largest external shareholder since 2016 and has built real cross-border payment infrastructure across Japan, South Korea, India, and the Philippines.
• →The CEO believes a positive court ruling in Ripple's favor against US regulators could trigger a significant XRP price jump in the coming weeks.