Yoshitaka Kitao, Chairman of Japan-based financial powerhouse SBI Holdings, has publicly addressed widespread rumors regarding the company’s involvement with Ripple Labs and the digital asset XRP. Speaking after Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse suggested the company’s valuation could soar to $1 trillion, Kitao clarified SBI Holdings’ position within the Ripple ecosystem. Contrary to speculation, he emphasized that while SBI is indeed a direct Ripple Labs shareholder, its holdings of XRP tokens are far from substantial.
SBI Holdings’ Ripple Investment: Priority on Equity, Not Tokens
Countering reports that SBI Holdings has invested up to $10 billion in XRP, Kitao explained on social media that the company’s focus has always been on building an equity stake in Ripple Labs itself, rather than accumulating large amounts of the XRP cryptocurrency. He disclosed that SBI Holdings currently owns approximately 9% of Ripple Labs, reinforcing the company’s strategy to participate as a long-term partner in Ripple’s broader growth.
“We do not own $10 billion worth of XRP; instead, we hold about a 9% stake in Ripple Labs. As such, our undisclosed assets could be even greater. When we consider Ripple Labs’ total value and the Ripple ecosystem, the significance of our stake becomes clear.”
In recent years, SBI Holdings has gained prominence for its numerous joint ventures with Ripple across Asia and its robust support for blockchain-based payment solutions in the region. These initiatives align with an active push to integrate advanced financial technologies into local markets, further establishing SBI’s reputation as a key FinTech influencer in Asia.
Ripple’s Soaring Valuation and SBI’s Growing Interest
In November 2025, Ripple Labs achieved a valuation of $40 billion following a $500 million funding round spearheaded by Fortress Investment Group and Citadel Securities affiliates. Based on this valuation, SBI Holdings’ 9% stake is now worth roughly $3.6 billion. Brad Garlinghouse, Ripple’s CEO, remains optimistic that the company’s value could someday hit the trillion-dollar mark—a prospect that would significantly elevate the worth of SBI’s holdings.
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AAPLRipple’s Ambitions and XRP’s Market Trajectory
Addressing attendees at the XRP Community Day, Garlinghouse predicted the emergence of at least one trillion-dollar company in the cryptocurrency sector, noting that Ripple could be that trailblazer. He stressed that Ripple’s vision extends well beyond its own corporate success, as the company aims to empower the XRP ecosystem and foster further innovation around its flagship token.
“A trillion-dollar crypto company will inevitably emerge—and Ripple, with the right partnerships and its XRP ecosystem, is uniquely positioned to seize that opportunity. Our goal is to develop products and services that customers choose and are willing to pay for, all while ensuring our efforts benefit the entire XRP ecosystem.”
Leadership at Ripple has described XRP as a guiding asset for the company’s development, while acknowledging that market-wide cryptocurrency trends play a critical role in determining XRP’s performance. Over the past 24 hours, XRP’s price has dropped by 7.8%, trading at $1.47 at the time of reporting.
Despite ongoing investments in technology and the expansion of the XRP ecosystem, these advances have yet to deliver a decisive upward movement in XRP’s price. However, industry insiders suggest that the long-term outlook could improve as the ecosystem matures and institutional adoption deepens.
