Startale Group and Japan’s SBI Holdings have launched Strium, a new layer-1 blockchain designed for institutional trading of tokenized assets. The platform will initially facilitate trading of synthetic US and Japanese stocks and commodities, with plans to expand to real tokenized shares and assets. This launch marks the first major step from the partnership announced in August and aims to bridge traditional finance with onchain ecosystems.
Startale Group and Japan’s financial conglomerate SBI Holdings have launched a new blockchain called Strium. The layer-1 network is designed to support exchange-layer and settlement infrastructure for institutional trading of foreign exchange, tokenized equities, and real-world assets.
“Tokenization is an inevitable trend, and equities tokenization is clearly the next big market,” said Sota Watanabe, CEO of Startale Group. He added that Strium aims to bridge the gap between traditional offchain finance and the onchain ecosystem.
The launch represents the first major milestone since the two companies announced their strategic partnership in August 2025. It arrives alongside proof-of-concept demonstrations intended to validate the system’s technical foundations.
Trading will first start with synthetic versions of US and Japanese stocks and commodities. The platform plans to later expand to tokenized representations of real shares and asset-backed tokens.
A separate open layer will allow other users to participate without identity checks. The proof-of-concept phase focuses on testing settlement efficiency, resilience under heavy loads, and interoperability with other systems.
“SBI Holdings brings regulated financial infrastructure and multiple licensed entities into the joint venture,” Watanabe stated. He noted that group entities have participated in other regulated digital-asset initiatives.
Discussions with regulators, including in Japan, are scheduled for later as the project expands into individual markets. A public testnet is planned as the next step toward commercial deployment.
This development follows a recent announcement from the New York Stock Exchange and its parent company, Intercontinental Exchange. They revealed plans for a new platform for tokenized stocks and exchange-traded funds with 24/7 access and instant settlement.
The move aligns with a recent report from Sygnum which stated traditional financial institutions are moving toward blockchain-based infrastructure. Tokenization is expected to go mainstream in 2026.
