SBI Holdings completes takeover of Japanese crypto exchange Bitbank
SBI Holdings finished its takeover of Japanese exchange Bitbank on Oct. 1, making the exchange a wholly owned subsidiary after Bitbank bought back Mixi and Ceres shares.
Why it matters
SBI Holdings now runs two Japanese exchanges, SBI VC Trade and Bitbank, and Bitcoin.com News says it expects ¥1.1 trillion in custody assets and 2.92 million crypto accounts across the group. The two price figures published for the same deal differ and remain unreconciled, and Bitcoin Insider says it is unclear how Bitbank's infrastructure will coexist with SBI's existing crypto operations. Bitcoin Insider also reads the closing as confirmation that the deal cleared Japanese regulatory approval.
Where the sources disagree
Price tag for the Bitbank takeover
$294.9 million
Bitcoin Insider
¥46.7 billion
Bitcoin.com News
Bitcoin Insider and Bitcoin.com News publish different figures for the same transaction and neither explains the gap.
Key facts
SBI Holdings completed its takeover of Bitbank on Oct. 1, making the Japanese crypto exchange a wholly owned subsidiary.
Reported by Crypto.News
Bitbank repurchased every share held by Mixi and Ceres as treasury stock, closing the final transaction of the deal.
Reported by Crypto.News
SBICAH GK, a wholly owned SBI unit, bought 53,704 shares from Bitbank CEO Noriyuki Hirosue and other individual shareholders.
53,704 sharesReported by Bitcoin.com News
SBI VC Trade President Tomohiko Kondo joined Bitbank's board, while Bitbank CEO Noriyuki Hirosue is set to become an outside director at SBI VC Trade.
Reported by Crypto.News
The acquisition package needed clearance from the Japan Fair Trade Commission before it could close.
Reported by Bitcoin.com News
What happened
SBI Holdings closed its takeover of Japanese crypto exchange Bitbank on Oct. 1, when Bitbank repurchased shares held by Mixi and Ceres as treasury stock and the last of three transactions completed. Bitcoin.com News, citing SBI's June 25 notice, sets out the earlier steps: SBICAH GK, a wholly owned SBI unit, bought 53,704 shares from Bitbank CEO Noriyuki Hirosue and other individual shareholders, then subscribed to a third-party allotment of new Bitbank shares. Bitcoin.com News says the whole package needed clearance from the Japan Fair Trade Commission before it could close. The two outlets give different price tags for the same deal: Bitcoin Insider puts it at $294.9 million, while Bitcoin.com News gives ¥46.7 billion and says that is the figure carried over from the June announcement. SBI VC Trade President Tomohiko Kondo has joined Bitbank's board, and Hirosue is set to become an outside director at SBI VC Trade. Bitbank says accounts, trading and services carry on unchanged, and Bitcoin.com News reports SBI expects about ¥1.1 trillion in custody assets and 2.92 million crypto accounts across the group.
How the story developed
- First report
First report by Crypto.News
What changes for Bitbank after SBI completes its takeover?
- Update
SBI Holdings completes Bitbank takeover
Bitbank repurchased shares held by Mixi and Ceres, closing the final share transactions and making the exchange a wholly owned SBI subsidiary.
- Update
SBI VC Trade President joins Bitbank board
Tomohiko Kondo joined Bitbank's board, and Bitbank CEO Noriyuki Hirosue is set to become an outside director at SBI VC Trade.
- Update
Bitcoin Insider reports a $294.9 million deal value
Bitcoin Insider describes the closing as one of the largest consolidations in Japan's digital asset industry and says it cleared the required regulatory approvals.
- Official statement
Official statement from Bitcoin.com News
Ripple Partner SBI Completes Takeover of Japanese Exchange Bitbank
- Official statement
Bitcoin.com News lays out the three-step closing and group figures
Bitcoin.com News says SBICAH GK bought shares from Hirosue and other individual shareholders, subscribed to a third-party allotment, and Bitbank used the cash to buy back Mixi and Ceres shares, and reports expected group custody assets of ¥1.1 trillion across 2.92 million accounts.
How coverage built up
Independent sources over time, counted the way the consensus panel counts them: a republication of a wire story does not move the line.
- 1 Oct 2026, 08:47 UTC: Crypto.News — 1 independent source, 1 reports
- 1 Oct 2026, 10:01 UTC: Bitcoin Insider — 2 independent sources, 2 reports
- 2 Oct 2026, 15:35 UTC: Bitcoin.com News, official — 3 independent sources, 3 reports
Affected entities
Also mentioned: Base, Japan Financial Services Agency
Original sources
| Publisher | Report | Role | Published |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bitcoin.com News Company, official | Ripple Partner SBI Completes Takeover of Japanese Exchange Bitbank | Independent | |
| Crypto.News Crypto media | What changes for Bitbank after SBI completes its takeover? | Original | |
| Bitcoin Insider Aggregator | SBI Holdings Finalizes $294.9 Million Acquisition of Japanese Exchange Bitbank | Syndicated |
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