The clarification that sbi does not hold $10 billion in xrp tokens directly removes a previous misunderstanding. while this debunks a large speculative holding, sbi's significant equity stake in ripple labs and its ceo's 'hidden asset' comments reinforce long-term commitment to the ripple ecosystem.
The information comes directly from sbi holdings ceo yoshitaka kitao, providing a highly reliable source for the correction and subsequent commentary.
The immediate correction might slightly temper speculative bullishness based on a false premise of direct xrp holdings. however, the ceo's strong belief in ripple labs' 'enormous' valuation and sbi's strategic expansion (coinhako acquisition) are fundamentally bullish for the ripple ecosystem, which could positively influence xrp's long-term utility and price, offsetting the immediate neutral impact of the clarification.
While the clarification is immediate, sbi's strategic actions like acquiring coinhako and establishing a digital asset corridor, combined with the ceo's high valuation of ripple labs, indicate a long-term commitment that could foster significant growth for the ripple ecosystem and xrp's utility over an extended period.
Cover image via www.freepik.com Read U.TODAY on Google News Equity, not tokens A "hidden asset"? The Coinhako acquisition Advertisement SBI Holdings CEO Yoshitaka Kitao has clarified that the Japanese financial giant does not hold $10 billion in XRP tokens. Still, it owns a massive equity stake in Ripple Labs itself. Equity, not tokens The discussion began when a user, @strivex_, praised SBI’s recent expansion into Singapore, stating: "SBI, a major partner of Ripple and holder of $10 billion in #XRP, is growing its presence in Asia..."Kitao quoted the post to correct the financial details directly. Holding $10 billion in XRP would expose SBI directly to the daily volatility of the token’s price. Instead, holding 9% of Ripple Labs means SBI owns a significant portion of the private company’s equity. HOT Stories Crypto Market Review: XRP Consolidates Amid Low Volatility, DOGE Struggles at $0.10, Is Shiba Inu (SHIB) Testing Key Support? U.Today Crypto Digest: Shiba Inu Price Rebounds, Ex-Ripple CTO Calls Bitcoin ‘Dead End’, Goldman Sachs Owns 14% of XRP ETF A "hidden asset"? In a follow-up tweet, Kitao has explained why he considers the stake a "hidden asset" that is not fully reflected in SBI's current book value. Advertisement "When it comes to Ripple Lab.'s total valuation, which obviously includes its ecosystem that Ripple has created, that would be enormous. SBI owns more than 9% of that much." You Might Also Like Sat, 02/14/2026 - 14:00 XRP Might Be Biggest Beneficiary as SBI Holdings Gets Ministerial Support By Godfrey Benjamin Recent private market reports and analysis have pegged Ripple Labs' valuation at upwards of $50 billion. Advertisement If Ripple is valued at $50 billion, SBI’s 9% stake would be worth approximately $4.5 billion on paper today. That said, Kitao appears to believe that Ripple's ecosystem commands a premium far higher than current private metrics show. SBI Holdings has been Ripple’s most staunch ally since 2016. The partnership is deeply structured into both companies' operations. The Coinhako acquisition On Friday, SBI announced it is acquiring a majority stake in Coinhako, a regulated cryptocurrency exchange based in Singapore. Coinhako holds a Major Payment Institution license from the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS). SBI is effectively building a "corridor" for digital assets that links Japan and Southeast Asia. #SBI Group #XRP News #Ripple News