SBI Group Invested $50M in Circle During NYSE IPO Debut

SBI Group, a big financial company from Japan, has revealed it invested $50 million in Circle, a USDC stablecoin issuer. This happened as Circle’s stock got listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) on June 5 in an initial public offering (IPO) event.

This shows that big investors trust Circle and believe it will do well in the future. The investment also shows that SBI is becoming more involved in digital finance and its partnership with Circle is growing stronger.

SBI’s Purchase Circle’s Shares To Strengthen Partnership 

On June 9, SBI group shared in a statement that the $50 million investment was divided equally between SBI Holdings and its banking arm, SBI Shinsei Bank. This allocation means both entities contributed $25 million each to Circle’s public offering.

A recent report also confirmed that SBI bought around 5% of the 34 million Circle shares sold during the IPO. This positions SBI as one of the key early investors in Circle’s public market journey.

This is not the first time SBI and Circle have teamed up. In March 2025, the two companies launched Japan’s first regulated access to USDC through SBI VC Trade, a licensed crypto exchange. This came after Japanese authorities revised rules around stablecoin registration. 

This clear rule made it easier and more legal for people in the area to use digital dollars, like USDC. SBI and Circle also formed a joint venture called Circle SBI KK Japan. The venture aims to bring USDC to more businesses and individuals across Japan. This is part of a strategic partnership that started in 2023.

Circle’s IPO Marks Remarkable Market Debut

Circle’s stock market debut received considerable attention. The company raised about $1.5 billion by selling 34 million shares. One big buyer was Ark Invest, led by Cathie Wood, which bought 4.48 million shares worth about $373.4 million.

The shares were first sold at $31 each, but strong investor interest made the price jump almost 300%. By Monday, the stock closed at $115 and went up to $118 before trading started on Tuesday.

With these prices, Circle is now worth around $22 billion, according to Yahoo Finance. The success of the IPO has already caught the eye of big financial companies. ProShares and Bitwise have recently applied to launch new investment funds (ETFs) based on Circle’s CRCL stock.

Circle Faces Competition in Stablecoin Market 

Since its stock market launch, Circle has been doing well, but still faces tough competition in the stablecoin market.  Circle’s USDC currently has a market capitalization of about $60 billion. Meanwhile, its main competitor, Tether (USDT), leads the global market with over $156 billion in circulation. 

On the bright side, Circle is now the only major stablecoin company listed on a U.S. stock exchange, giving it more visibility and trust. In contrast, Tether operates outside the United States.