SBI Holdings unveils a dedicated Layer 1 for tokenized securities, kick-starting on-chain equity infrastructure

Japan’s financial group SBI Holdings has moved to build on-chain securities infrastructure by unveiling a pilot model of a dedicated blockchain Layer 1 (Layer 1) aimed at trading tokenized equities.

According to The Block on the 4th (local time), SBI Holdings released a proof of concept (PoC) for “Strium,” a Layer 1 blockchain co-developed with Startale Group, which led Sony’s Ethereum Layer 2 project. Strium is designed as a purpose-built network for trading real-world assets (RWA)—particularly tokenized securities—on-chain.

Unlike existing crypto-centric derivatives platforms, Strium targets a blockchain-based trading architecture for global capital markets. The core is to offer around-the-clock trading, fast settlement and DeFi interoperability without directly intervening in issuance and custody structures.

SBI Holdings and Startale previously announced in August 2025 a plan to jointly develop a 24-hour trading platform for tokenized assets including U.S. and Japanese stocks. At the time, the two cited cross-border real-time settlement, fractional investing and regulation-compliant on-chain trading as key objectives. More recently, they have also been collaborating on the development of a yen-denominated stablecoin with a view to global payments and institutional use.

Startale founder Sota Watanabe said, “Financial markets are moving from off-chain to on-chain,” underscoring that “tokenized equities are a key opportunity for next-generation financial infrastructure.”

The Strium network positions itself as a foundational layer for Asia’s on-chain securities market. SBI Holdings aims to expand a regulated, mainstream on-chain securities ecosystem by leveraging its customer base of about 80 million and its institutional network across securities, banking and finance.

The two plan to launch a testnet in the near future and, through this PoC, verify settlement efficiency in high-traffic environments, system stability, and interoperability between traditional financial systems and blockchains.

Meanwhile, SBI Holdings has recently stepped up its blockchain push, centered on stablecoins and crypto financial products. It reportedly invested $50 million in Circle’s initial public offering (IPO) and is also said to be reviewing the development of a crypto ETF with a view to listing in Japan.