SBI Shinsei Bank, a Japanese financial institution, has rolled out a new promotional campaign that ties deposit interest to cryptocurrency vouchers. Under this program, customers earning interest on their deposits will receive extra rewards worth 20% of that interest in the form of vouchers. These vouchers can later be exchanged for Bitcoin, Ether, or XRP.
The campaign runs for three months starting on Wednesday and applies to both regular deposits and time deposits with maturities ranging from three months to five years. Customers will receive their standard interest in Japanese yen, plus the additional vouchers. To convert these vouchers into digital assets, customers need to open an account with SBI VC Trade, the cryptocurrency exchange owned by SBI Group. The vouchers can be redeemed during a specified period.
This initiative gives traditional savers a new way to gain exposure to cryptocurrencies without directly buying them on an exchange. It is part of SBI Group’s broader strategy to integrate digital assets into its financial services. Earlier this year, the group partnered with Visa and Aplus on a crypto rewards credit card that lets users earn Bitcoin, Ethereum, and XRP through everyday spending. Additionally, SBI VC Trade launched a retail USDC lending service in March, where users can lend stablecoins to the exchange for a fixed period to earn yield. The group has also been expanding its exchange operations, including a potential acquisition of Bitbank and the absorption of Bitpoint Japan. Investment products like crypto-focused trusts and ETFs are also in development through SBI Securities.