Japan's financial heavyweights SBI Holdings, APLUS, and Visa are rolling out a novel credit card line that lets users earn Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), or XRP through everyday purchases. The SBI VISA Crypto Card and its Gold variant go live on May 1, 2026, turning loyalty points into digital assets automatically each month.
How the Crypto Rewards Work: Monthly Conversion, Zero Fees
Cardholders accumulate reward points on every transaction. Once a month, those points are converted into the user's chosen cryptocurrency — BTC, ETH, or XRP — with no exchange fee. To receive rewards, users need an SBI VC Trade account; existing account holders can link it directly. At the launch press conference, SBI VC Trade President Tomohiko Kondo explained: "Because it is a highly volatile asset, we thought a system that allows you to accumulate a little bit each month would help build your assets." He also added SBI aims to cooperate with Visa on promoting settlements for cryptocurrencies and stablecoins.
APLUS President and CEO Takayuki Shimada stated: "Our mission is to evolve the safe and secure payment infrastructure we have cultivated in our credit card business into the next generation of finance."
Two Tiers: Standard vs Gold
The standard card targets beginners, offering up to 2.5% reward value. The Gold card boosts that to a maximum of 10% and adds extra perks. To spur adoption, applicants who sign up between May 1 and May 31, 2026, receive bonus rewards. The high Gold-tier return is rare in Japan's credit card market and clearly aims to encourage frequent crypto-related spending.
Why XRP Holders Take Notice
While Bitcoin and Ethereum are standard inclusions, XRP's presence stands out. Japan has long been one of XRP's strongest markets, and SBI has been a longtime supporter of Ripple's ecosystem. Earlier Coinpedia news reported that SBI Holdings Chairman Yoshitaka Kitao said SBI owns around a 9% stake in Ripple. That makes XRP rewards more than a gimmick — it could deepen XRP usage among Japanese consumers and reinforce local demand.
Crypto Payment Cards Proliferate in Japan
SBI's card is not an isolated move. Within the same two weeks, Japan saw two other crypto payment launches: on April 27, EPOS Card and Bitbank introduced the EPOS CRYPTO Card, allowing users to withdraw crypto directly from their accounts; on April 20, SLASH VISION, I-Kitas, and Orient Corporation launched the Slash Card, which uses the USDC stablecoin for settlements. These three products landing almost simultaneously signal that digital assets are transitioning from investment vehicles to everyday payment tools. With a major traditional finance player like SBI leading the charge, more banks may follow suit, weaving crypto deeper into Japan's payment fabric.