SBI Shinsei Bank to add crypto-linked rewards to deposit interest this autumn

SBI Shinsei Bank is set to begin a pilot on June 10 that adds crypto-linked rewards to ordinary deposit interest, ahead of a broader autumn rollout. Customers will continue to receive standard yen-denominated interest while also getting vouchers worth 20% of the interest earned that can be redeemed for Bitcoin, Ether or XRP at market rates, offering crypto exposure through existing savings accounts rather than separate trading platforms. The program is built around the bank's existing Hyper Deposit product. Earlier reporting said the initiative would run as a three-month promotional campaign covering about 4.33 million eligible deposit accounts and function as an added reward tied to interest payments rather than a direct conversion of deposits themselves. The new account also links the move to SBI's wider digital-asset strategy, including the anticipated launch of RLUSD in Japan, though the bank details in the available reports do not establish a direct operational connection between the deposit-reward program and RLUSD.