SBI Holdings Clarifies $10B Ripple Bet: 9% Equity Stake, Not XRP

On February 15, 2026, SBI Holdings CEO Yoshitaka Kitao addressed speculation about the Japanese financial giant’s involvement with Ripple, clarifying that their multi-billion dollar investment is not in XRP tokens but a substantial 9% equity stake in Ripple Labs. This statement counters rumors of a $10 billion XRP holding, redirecting focus to SBI’s strategic partnership with Ripple Labs for blockchain-based financial solutions. The equity position, valued in the billions based on Ripple’s private market estimates, underscores SBI’s long-term commitment to Ripple’s technology, particularly in cross-border payments.

Price Action Details

As of February 15, 2026, XRP trades at $0.58, reflecting a 2.3% increase over the past 24 hours, a 5.7% rise over 7 days, and a modest 1.8% gain over the last 30 days, per data from CoinGecko. Key support sits at $0.55, with resistance near $0.62, levels that have held over the past week based on trading patterns. Trading volume for XRP spiked to $1.2 billion in the last 24 hours, 15% above the 7-day average of $1.04 billion, indicating heightened market interest following SBI’s clarification. XRP’s market cap now stands at $32.4 billion, maintaining its position among the top 10 cryptocurrencies.

Driving Factors

SBI Holdings’ statement from CEO Yoshitaka Kitao directly influenced XRP’s recent price uptick, as it reaffirmed institutional backing for Ripple Labs despite no direct XRP holdings. On-chain data shows a 12% increase in XRP wallet activity over the past 48 hours, with over 3,500 new addresses created, signaling retail interest as tracked by CoinMarketCap. Whale transactions, including a notable transfer of 25 million XRP ($14.5 million) to a major exchange on February 14, 2026, suggest potential profit-taking or repositioning amid the news. This aligns with SBI’s ongoing promotion of RippleNet for remittance solutions in Asia, a key narrative for XRP’s utility.

Broader Market Context

XRP’s 2.3% 24-hour gain slightly outperforms Bitcoin’s 1.8% rise to $68,500 and Ethereum’s 2.0% increase to $2,450 on the same day, reflecting a mild altcoin outperformance. In the broader blockchain sector, DeFi total value locked (TVL) remains stable at $85 billion, though payment-focused protocols like RippleNet are not directly tied to this metric, per DefiLlama. The Crypto Fear & Greed Index sits at 68 (Greed), indicating bullish sentiment that may support XRP’s momentum. Analyst forecasts, including those shared on Crypto News, suggest XRP could test $0.65 if institutional narratives around Ripple Labs continue to strengthen.

Technical Implications of SBI’s Involvement

From a technical perspective, SBI’s equity stake in Ripple Labs ties into their adoption of Ripple’s On-Demand Liquidity (ODL) system, which uses XRP as a bridge currency for instant cross-border settlements. Documentation on Ripple’s official site details how ODL reduces liquidity costs by eliminating pre-funded accounts, a mechanism SBI has integrated into its remittance services since 2017. For developers tracking Ripple’s tech stack, the equity focus over token holdings suggests SBI’s interest lies in protocol-level innovation rather than speculative XRP accumulation. This aligns with broader trends in financial blockchain adoption, as covered in Protocol News.