Japan’s SBI Group has completed its acquisition of Singapore crypto platform Coinhako, with SBI Holdings confirming that Coinhako became a consolidated subsidiary on July 16, 2026 after the Monetary Authority of Singapore approved its capital injection and share purchase.
SBI said the deal closed once MAS signed off on the capital injection and it acquired shares from existing shareholders, according to its completion notice. The transaction converts a majority investment first floated earlier this year into full consolidation of one of Singapore’s longest-running exchanges. For related coverage, see What Are KOLs in Crypto and Why Do They Matter? | CoinWy.
SBI first disclosed its intention to inject capital into Coinhako and buy shares through SBI Ventures Asset on February 13, 2026, with completion made contingent on regulatory approvals. Those approvals have now been secured. For related coverage, see Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky's X Account Hijacked in Crypto Scam.
What SBI Group’s acquisition of Coinhako means
The completion notice describes Coinhako as operating in Singapore through Hako Technology Pte. Ltd., a MAS-licensed major payment institution, and in the British Virgin Islands through Alpha Hako Limited, a registered virtual asset service provider. Hako Technology is listed as a regulated institution in the MAS Financial Institutions Directory.
Approvals were not limited to Singapore. SBI said additional clearance from the British Virgin Islands Financial Services Commission was obtained to make Alpha Hako a subsidiary, extending the deal across both of Coinhako’s regulated jurisdictions.
SBI tied the acquisition to its broader digital-asset strategy in Asia, including expansion of its JPYSC stablecoin ecosystem. The purchase price and Coinhako’s valuation were not disclosed in the completion materials.
Why Coinhako’s Singapore market position matters
Coinhako said 2026 marks its 12th year of operations, making it one of the earliest crypto platforms built out of Singapore. That longevity, paired with a MAS payments licence, is central to why the acquisition reads as strategic rather than routine.
Singapore’s status as a licensing-led hub gives regulated entities like Coinhako regional weight. The city-state’s framework sits alongside tightening regimes elsewhere in Asia, from Japan’s move to reclassify crypto as a financial product to Hong Kong’s tightening of platform security rules.
Coinhako’s disclosed scale underlines the point. The company said it facilitated over USD 10 billion in crypto settlements over the past two years and that its options desk surpassed USD 1 billion in total traded volume in 2025.
Its yield product also grew. Coinhako said Coinhako Earn surpassed USD 200 million in committed assets, while structured product volume grew 450% year-on-year, figures that speak to demand beyond simple spot trading.
Potential impact on users and the broader crypto industry
Coinhako Group CEO Yusho Liu framed the outcome as a continuation rather than a rupture for the platform’s users.
“Joining SBI Group is the natural next chapter for Coinhako.” — Yusho Liu, Coinhako Group CEO letter, 2026
For SBI, the strategic upside centres on settlement infrastructure. Joseph Goh of Sygnum Bank told CoinDesk that the payoff for SBI is building the yen-denominated leg of on-chain settlement across Asia, connecting the acquisition to the JPYSC ambition.
Any integration effects on Coinhako users, from product roadmaps to potential JPYSC listings, remain forward-looking and were not detailed in the completion notice. What is confirmed is the change of ownership and the regulated status of the acquired entities.
The deal landed against a cautious market backdrop. Bitcoin traded around $63,926, with a 24-hour gain of roughly 0.47%, giving readers a baseline crypto reference even though the story itself is strategy and regulation driven.
Sentiment was firmly risk-off. The Fear and Greed Index read 25, or Extreme Fear, on July 18, 2026, signalling caution across the market even as SBI leaned into regulated regional expansion.
The consolidation adds a licensed Southeast Asian exchange to SBI’s growing digital-asset footprint, a trend of established financial groups deepening crypto exposure that also frames coverage of longer-standing exchange operators reaching scale milestones.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or investment advice. Cryptocurrency and digital asset markets carry significant risk. Always do your own research before making decisions.
