Startale, SBI Holdings Announce Blockchain for Tokenized Securities Trading

Startale Group and SBI Holdings have announced the launch of joint blockchain venture Strium Network, a platform designed for trading tokenized securities and real-world assets in Asian markets.

The announcement marks the first major development since the two companies formed a strategic partnership in August 2025 to build exchange infrastructure for digital securities. SBI Holdings, a Tokyo-based financial services group with over 80 million customers, will contribute its securities, banking and trading expertise to the venture.

Strium will operate as a Layer 1 blockchain supporting spot and derivatives trading of tokenized equities and asset-backed instruments on a 24/7 basis, the companies said. The platform aims to provide trading infrastructure separate from traditional banking hours and legacy settlement systems.

A proof of concept has been completed to demonstrate the platform's settlement capabilities, performance under high transaction volumes, and interoperability with existing financial infrastructure and blockchain networks, according to the announcement. The companies did not provide specific performance metrics or technical specifications.

The venture represents an effort to capitalize on what the companies described as an $18.9 trillion market opportunity for tokenized assets. The platform is intended to serve institutional investors and professional traders seeking access to securities-linked products through blockchain-based systems.

Strium will function as an exchange layer rather than an asset issuance or custody platform, the companies said. The approach separates market infrastructure from the direct handling of underlying securities.

A testnet launch is planned to allow early participants to access the blockchain, though no specific timeline was provided. The companies said they would share further details on commercial deployment in coming months.

The proof of concept phase will be followed by partner integration and regulatory engagement before the platform moves toward production, according to the statement.

SBI Holdings operates businesses across securities brokerage, banking, asset management and cryptocurrency services in Japan and internationally. Startale Group develops blockchain infrastructure and applications.

The announcement did not specify which regulatory approvals would be required for Strium's operations or which jurisdictions the platform would initially target.