Japanese financial services giant SBI Holdings has announced its intention to acquire a majority stake in Coinhako , one of Singapore’s oldest and most prominent digital asset platforms.
According to an announcement released on February 13, 2026, SBI Holdings' subsidiary, SBI Ventures Asset Pte. Ltd., has signed a letter of intent to "provide investment capital to the Coinhako Group as well as acquire shares in Coinhako Group from several existing shareholders".
Upon completion of the deal, Coinhako is expected to become a consolidated subsidiary of SBI Holdings.
Building an Asian Digital Asset "Powerhouse"
According to the announcement, this move is a central component of SBI’s global digital asset strategy, aiming to combine Coinhako’s "decade-long operational expertise" with SBI’s financial resources to create a "next-generation digital asset powerhouse in Asia".
Coinhako operates under Hako Technology Pte. Ltd., a Major Payment Institution licensed by the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), and Alpha Hako Ltd., which is regulated in the British Virgin Islands.
Yoshitaka Kitao, Chairman and President of SBI Holdings, emphasized that the acquisition is a "solid step" toward expanding a global corridor for digital assets, including tokenized stocks and stablecoins.
Expanding the "Global Corridor"
For Coinhako, the partnership represents an opportunity to scale its institutional-grade infrastructure.
"Our alignment with the SBI Group accelerates our mission to be the premier digital asset hub for Asia," said Yusho Liu, Co-founder and CEO of Coinhako. He added that the collaboration ensures Singapore remains at the heart of the "next-generation financial system" as demand for tokenized assets and stablecoins surges.
The specific methods for the capital injection and share acquisition are still under discussion and remain subject to regulatory approvals
SBI’s Growing Digital Footprint
The acquisition follows a string of recent moves by SBI in the digital asset sector. Earlier this month, SBI and Startale Labs announced a new blockchain for tokenized securities trading . The group has also been active in Japan, with its SBI VC Trade unit taking over users from DMM Bitcoin following a major hack last year.
This latest deal coincides with a broader trend of consolidation in the Singapore market. Just last week, online trading firm IG Group completed its acquisition of another MAS-licensed exchange, Independent Reserve .
While regulation "stops hovering and starts landing," as we noted in 2025 year-end review , established players like SBI are increasingly moving to secure licensed infrastructure to serve a more mature, institutional-led market.
