What SBI Really Owns in Ripple May Surprise XRP Investors

SBI Holdings Chairman Yoshitaka Kitao has confirmed that the Japanese financial services giant holds an equity stake in Ripple Labs, clarifying speculation surrounding the company’s exposure to XRP.

The statement follows recent remarks from Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse. He suggested the firm has the “opportunity” to become a $1 trillion company. 

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SBI Holdings Chairman Dismisses XRP Rumors

Kitao addressed circulating claims that SBI directly holds $10 billion worth of XRP tokens. He rejected those assertions, clarifying that the firm’s exposure is not to XRP but to Ripple Labs. According to Kitao, SBI owns approximately a 9% stake in Ripple.

“Not $10 bil. in XRP but around 9% of  Ripple Lab. So our hidden asset could be much bigger,” he said. “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.”

SBI has been a long-standing strategic partner of Ripple and has supported the expansion of blockchain-based payment solutions across Asia through joint ventures and financial infrastructure initiatives.

​​In November 2025, Ripple’s valuation rose to $40 billion after a $500 million funding round led by funds managed by affiliates of Fortress Investment Group and affiliates of Citadel Securities.

Based on that valuation, a 9% stake in Ripple Labs would be worth approximately $3.6 billion on paper. However, if Ripple’s valuation were to increase significantly, particularly in line with Garlinghouse’s long-term $1 trillion ambition, SBI’s equity stake could rise proportionally in value.

Ripple CEO Eyes Trillion-Dollar Milestone

During the XRP Community Day on X (formerly Twitter), Garlinghouse projected that a crypto firm will eventually surpass the $1 trillion mark. This could put it in the same league as major technology corporations such as Nvidia, Apple, Alphabet, and Microsoft.

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“There will be a trillion-dollar crypto company. I don’t doubt that for a second. I think Ripple has the opportunity, if we do things well in partnership with the overall XRP ecosystem, to be that company, and maybe there’ll be more than one,” he said.

Garlinghouse emphasized that Ripple aims to be successful. However, its mission goes beyond corporate growth. 

He stated that Ripple’s “reason for existence is driving success around XRP and the XRP ecosystem.” The executive described XRP as Ripple’s “north star.” 

“We will continue to build products and services that customers love and will pay for to make Ripple successful, but it’s in service of the overall XRP ecosystem,” he added.

These remarks come as XRP continues to face market challenges. BeInCrypto Markets data showed that the altcoin has dropped 7.8% over the past 24 hours. At the time of writing, it traded at $1.47.

Despite Ripple’s strategic focus on XRP, ongoing network developments, and ecosystem expansion, these advances have not yet resulted in a meaningful price breakout.

Over the longer horizon, continued ecosystem growth and deeper institutional integration may provide stronger support for price appreciation and broader adoption. Nonetheless, for now, XRP remains largely influenced by broader market conditions.