Japan’s SBI Shinsei Bank to Offer Crypto Rewards on Deposit Interest

Highlights:

• SBI Shinsei Bank will let depositors earn crypto rewards from regular savings interest.
• Customers can receive Bitcoin, Ethereum, or XRP through vouchers issued via SBI VC Trade.
• The pilot will run for three months and may become permanent later this fall.

Japan’s traditional banking sector is taking a major step into the digital asset space. SBI Shinsei Bank will launch a new pilot program on June 10, allowing customers to convert a portion of their savings interest into cryptocurrency. According to a Nikkei report on Tuesday, this initiative allows depositors to earn Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), or XRP instead of standard fiat interest. The program aims to bridge the gap between everyday banking and digital assets, giving traditional savers an easy way to gain exposure to crypto.

How the SBI Shinsei Bank’s Crypto Interest Program Works

Under this new system, customers will receive crypto exchange vouchers equal to 20% of their total deposit interest payments. Once they earn these vouchers, they can easily redeem them for their chosen cryptocurrency through SBI VC Trade, the official crypto exchange operated by the SBI Group.

The pilot will run for three months and will cover ordinary savings accounts and fixed-term deposits. Fixed-term deposits included in the program range from three months to five years. SBI Shinsei Bank will use the trial period to check whether customers are interested in receiving part of their interest in crypto instead of only cash.

Customers who want to use the vouchers must open an account with SBI VC Trade. Without that account, they will not be able to redeem the crypto rewards. 

Pilot May Become Permanent This Fall

The rewards are small, but the program may still help beginner users understand crypto more safely and easily. Instead of sending money to an exchange first, customers can receive crypto through their existing banking relationship. That may lower the barrier to entry for people who are curious about Bitcoin, Ethereum, or XRP but do not want to start with direct trading.

If the pilot performs well, SBI Shinsei Bank plans to make the service permanent this fall. That would turn the program from a short campaign into a regular feature for deposit customers.

SBI Group’s Expanding Crypto Ecosystem

This rewards pilot is just one part of the SBI Group’s much larger digital asset strategy. The financial giant has been steadily building out its blockchain and crypto offerings over the past few years. Recently, SBI Chairman Yoshitaka Kitao revealed that the company is in preliminary discussions to acquire a stake in Bitbank, one of Japan’s largest cryptocurrency exchanges. 

In addition, SBI has partnered with Startale Group to create a specific blockchain for tokenized stocks, and recently launched a new stablecoin directly backed by the Japanese yen, named JPYSC.

🇯🇵 Startale Group and SBI Holdings introduce JPYSC, the first trust bank–backed JPY stablecoin issued by Shinsei Trust & Banking, with Startale Group building the technical foundation for regulated digital yen infrastructure.

Here's what makes JPYSC a landmark moment 👇🏻 pic.twitter.com/HbWGVIO3nR

— Startale 💿 (@StartaleGroup) February 27, 2026

Other Japanese financial companies, like SBI Securities and Rakuten Securities, are also working on crypto investment trusts to sell to retail investors. The mergers highlight a wider trend in the industry to mainstream digital assets into everyday financial life in Japan.