Tobu Top Tours Launches XRP Ledger-Based Prepaid Payment Platform, Targeting Japan's ¥30T Market

Gate News message, April 18 — Tobu Top Tours, a major subsidiary of Tobu Railway, has partnered with SBI Ripple Asia to build a prepaid token payment platform on the XRP Ledger. The platform, completed on April 7, 2026, has already secured regulatory approval in Japan and is scheduled for public rollout later this year.

The system converts prepaid value into blockchain-based tokens issued on the XRP Ledger and backed by Japanese yen. Users can top up funds in yen and spend them across travel, hotels, dining, retail, and other tourism-linked services. Japan's prepaid payments market is worth approximately ¥30 trillion annually, ranking among the world's most advanced cashless ecosystems.

Meanwhile, SBI Ripple Asia and DSRV announced a joint research initiative this month aimed at improving cross-border payments between Japan and South Korea, with the XRP Ledger under consideration as the core settlement layer. On-chain data show XRP Ledger has recorded an 875% spike in real-world asset (RWA) activity, bringing total value close to $2.5 billion.