SBI Holdings has pushed back on viral claims that it holds $10 billion worth of XRP. Chairman and CEO Yoshitaka Kitao said on X that SBI does not own that amount in XRP tokens, adding that the group instead holds roughly 9% of Ripple Labs and that this “hidden asset” could be much larger.
Viral post blurred token holdings and company ownership
The confusion followed a widely circulated social media post that described SBI, a long-time Ripple partner, as a holder of $10 billion in XRP while it expands its presence in Asia through the acquisition of Singapore-based crypto platform Coinhako. SBI’s response drew a clear line between those ideas. The headline number, the company said, does not reflect its actual token exposure.
Kitao’s reply highlighted the central issue. SBI’s connection to Ripple comes from an equity investment in Ripple Labs rather than from a giant XRP treasury position. That distinction matters, because ownership in the company is not the same thing as direct ownership of the token tied to Ripple’s ecosystem.
SBI’s Ripple exposure comes through equity, not a token stash
Ripple Labs is the U.S.-based blockchain payments company closely associated with XRP, and SBI has long been one of Ripple’s most visible strategic partners in Asia. Over the years, SBI has backed joint ventures and promoted Ripple’s cross-border payment products across the region. Those efforts reflect a corporate investment relationship, not a balance-sheet stockpile of XRP.
Kitao’s reference to a “hidden asset” points to the value of that stake. His comment suggests SBI sees its Ripple equity as potentially undervalued, especially if Ripple’s valuation improves with clearer regulation and continued business expansion. It does not suggest that SBI is sitting on an undisclosed multibillion-dollar XRP reserve.
Crypto narratives can magnify a bad read quickly
The episode shows how fast misinformation can spread in crypto markets when equity stakes and token holdings are treated as interchangeable. Based on the company’s clarification, SBI’s exposure to Ripple is still meaningful, but it is tied to ownership in Ripple Labs itself, not to a $10 billion cache of XRP.