What are your prospects for the Web3.0 sector beyond 2025?
Tomohiko Kondo (hereinafter, Kondo): From last year, through the U.S. presidential election and the inauguration of President Trump, the cryptocurrency market has been revitalized, primarily driven by the United States. Given this trend, I believe that a generally favorable market environment will continue in 2025.
However, there is a growing anomaly in the market where, after Bitcoin's halving event every four years, there is a temporary surge followed by a significant correction. While it remains uncertain whether a downtrend will emerge in 2026, as a business leader, I believe it is a situation that requires constant vigilance.
With this in mind, SBI VC Trade is not just focused on providing profit opportunities through trading but is also developing and operating services tailored to various needs.
For example, our staking service allows customers to earn income gains (continuous revenue) from their cryptocurrency holdings. Through such services, we strive to ensure that our customers can secure stable revenue opportunities, regardless of market conditions.
The license for electronic payment instruments trading business was obtained, and the beta version of USDC was released on March 12.
Kondo: As of March 4, we have completed our registration as Japan’s first and only "Electronic Payment Instruments Trading Business Operator" (Registration No. Kanto Finance Bureau No. 00001), which allows us to handle stablecoins. Following this, on March 12, we launched the beta version of USDC with limited user access.
It is estimated that fewer than 1% of people in Japan fully understand stablecoins. While industry insiders may feel that "it has finally arrived," the general public may find it difficult to grasp the specific changes that stablecoins will bring.
However, if stablecoins can be presented as "digital assets that can be managed at an attractive annual rate," they may be recognized similarly to foreign currency deposits. If they can be managed at a higher annual rate than bank foreign currency deposits, stablecoins could become an equally or even more appealing option compared to existing financial products.
For instance, if a bank offers a 4% annual interest rate on a one-year fixed-term foreign currency deposit, while a stablecoin with a one-month lock-up period offers around 5% annually, the latter may be the preferred choice. By leveraging this new technology, stablecoins could offer financial conditions that banks have struggled to achieve.
Our goal is not only to enhance the recognition of cryptocurrencies and stablecoins but also to expand their usability and convenience for a wider audience.