TL;DR
- Alliance Expansion: SBI Group and Startale joined Open Standard, a global coalition supporting OUSD and backed by major institutions including Coinbase, Visa, BlackRock, and Mastercard.
- Interoperability Test: SBI Group will participate in a proof-of-concept project connecting OUSD and JPYSC to explore faster, more efficient, 24/7 cross-border settlement between the US dollar and Japanese yen.
- Early Development Stage: The initiative remains in testing and planning. No launch date has been announced, and technical, regulatory, and cost-related factors still need validation before commercial deployment.
SBI Group and Startale Group have officially joined Open Standard, a growing global coalition supporting the US dollar-denominated stablecoin OUSD. The move places SBI Group alongside major industry participants that are working to develop shared digital settlement infrastructure for the evolving on-chain economy. As part of the initiative, SBI Group and Startale plan to launch a proof-of-concept experiment focused on interoperability between OUSD and JPYSC, a trust-type yen stablecoin issued by SBI Shinsei Trust Bank.
The planned collaboration is designed to explore new ways of improving cross-border settlements between the Japanese yen and the US dollar. According to the participating firms, the objective is to introduce faster and more efficient settlement mechanisms that can operate around the clock.
Open Standard Expands Its Global Network
Open Standard has attracted support from major financial and payment companies, including Coinbase, Visa, BlackRock, and Mastercard. The coalition aims to establish a unified settlement layer that can support digital asset transactions across multiple platforms and jurisdictions. For SBI Group, joining the alliance represents another step in its involvement with digital currency infrastructure.
The company has already demonstrated interest in dollar-backed stablecoins through previous support for assets such as USDC and RLUSD in Japan. By participating in Open Standard, SBI Group gains access to a broader ecosystem focused on enhancing interoperability and settlement efficiency.
The coalition has also grown rapidly since its concept was introduced in June. Membership has expanded from more than 140 participants to over 200 financial institutions and fintech platforms, reflecting rising interest in standardized blockchain-based payment networks.
Interoperability Test Targets FX Modernization
The new proof-of-concept initiative involving SBI Group and Startale will specifically examine how OUSD and JPYSC could interact within a shared framework. The broader goal is to modernize traditional foreign exchange processes that have historically relied on slower settlement structures. Recent regulatory developments have contributed to growing institutional attention.
The participating companies noted that the maturation of on-chain financial infrastructure follows the passage of the US GENIUS Act, which established a federal framework for stablecoin issuance and reserve management. For SBI Group, this environment creates an opportunity to test new settlement models backed by regulated digital assets.
Project Remains in Testing Phase
Despite the announcement, SBI Group emphasized that the interoperability initiative remains in the planning and testing stage. SBI Group and its partners have not announced a launch date, and SBI Group confirmed that commercial transaction rails connecting JPYSC and OUSD are not yet operational. If successful, the framework could eventually allow institutions to settle yen-dollar transactions through blockchain infrastructure. However, SBI Group noted that technical feasibility, regulatory considerations, and potential cost benefits must still be validated through testing before any broader deployment can occur.
