Ripple-backed SBI Holdings has expanded its role in Solana’s institutional ecosystem after its crypto subsidiary secured responsibility for managing the SOL treasury operations of Tokyo-listed WIZE. Summary SBI VC Trade will manage the trading, custody, and treasury operations of WIZE’s Solana holdings. WIZE selected the Ripple-backed firm after evaluating compliance, security, and institutional support capabilities. The deal comes as institutional interest in Solana grows, with Morgan Stanley recently refiling for a spot SOL ETF. According to an announcement from SBI VC Trade, the company will oversee the trading, custody, storage, and management of Solana (SOL) assets held under WIZE’s corporate treasury strategy. The arrangement places SBI VC Trade at the center of WIZE’s efforts to build and maintain a SOL-based treasury as part of its long-term business plans. Operating through its institutional platform SBIVC for Prime, SBI VC Trade said it will provide services covering cryptocurrency trading, asset management, treasury management, and Web3-related support for large-scale clients. Under the agreement, WIZE will use the platform for transaction execution and custody of its Solana holdings. WIZE launched its Solana Treasury Business in 2025, positioning SOL as a key component of its balance-sheet strategy. The company has previously stated that digital assets could eventually complement its existing social entertainment and media operations. Through the new partnership, SBI VC Trade will handle the operational side of acquiring, storing, and managing those holdings. WIZE selects SBI for institutional Solana support Details released by SBI VC Trade show that WIZE selected the firm after evaluating multiple service providers. According to the announcement, factors considered during the review included regulatory compliance, operational security, and the ability to support institutional digital asset activities. Registered to provide crypto-related services in Japan, SBI VC Trade operates under the country’s regulatory framework for digital asset businesses. The company is part of SBI Holdings, which has maintained a long-standing relationship with Ripple through investments and business partnerships. For SBI VC Trade, the deal adds another institutional client to its growing digital asset business. The company said services offered through SBIVC for Prime are designed for corporate and institutional customers seeking trading, custody, and asset management solutions. Institutional interest in Solana continues to grow Elsewhere in the market, several recent developments have pointed to rising institutional engagement with Solana. Only weeks before the WIZE announcement, Wall Street banking giant Morgan Stanley resubmitted an application for a spot Solana exchange-traded fund in the U.S. The proposed fund, which would trade under the ticker MSOL if approved, is designed to hold SOL directly while staking a portion of the assets to generate yield for investors. According to the filing, the ETF would be listed on NYSE Arca pending approval from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. The SBI-WIZE partnership arrives as asset managers, treasury-focused firms, and financial institutions continue to explore Solana-related products and investment strategies. Separate from its Solana activities, SBI Holdings recently entered the artificial intelligence sector through a partnership with Anthropic. According to SBI, the collaboration will bring Anthropic’s Claude AI technology into company operations. The announcement followed Anthropic’s confidential filing for an initial public offering, which was submitted earlier this year.
