Japan’s Minna Bank Taps Solana and Fireblocks to Explore Stablecoin Use Cases

Minna Bank, a Japan-based digital bank, is exploring the use of stablecoins for payments and other financial services, demonstrating increasing institutional interest in the Solana blockchain.

Over the last 24 hours, Solana’s token (SOL) dropped 3.36%, sliding from $155.69 to approximately $150.81, according to CoinDesk Research. Although this decline reflects broader market trends, Solana’s momentum continues to build in Asia through significant partnerships.

As a subsidiary of Fukuoka Financial Group, Minna Bank mainly serves customers aged 15 to 39 and has partnered with Fireblocks, Solana, and TIS to investigate how stablecoins and Web3 wallets could improve consumer finance in Japan. Their joint effort targets real-world applications like payments, on-chain banking, and user experiences optimized for Japan’s mobile-first users.

This initiative aligns with stablecoins surpassing a $250 billion market cap, attracting banks eager to innovate in cross-border payments, deposits, and settlements. Fireblocks CEO Michael Shaulov emphasized the project’s potential to enhance value transfer efficiency in the digital economy.

Despite Solana’s price remaining below recent peaks, the project’s strength is underscored by institutional moves such as the launch of the REX-Osprey Solana + Staking ETF and increased SOL holdings by DeFi Development Corp.

Technical Snapshot:

• Between July 3, 10:00 and July 4, 09:00, SOL fell 3.36%, from $155.69 to $150.46.
• Intraday price fluctuated between $155.79 and $149.13, showing 4.28% volatility.
• Resistance appeared around $153.77 at 05:00 on July 4, on higher volume.
• Support held near $149.13 around 08:00, supported by strong buying.
• SOL rose 0.40% in the last hour, climbing from $149.97 to $150.57.
• A short upward trend formed after breaking resistance at $150.20 at 09:03.
• Volume surged at 08:50 (24,245 units) and 09:15 (22,894 units), confirming bullish momentum.
• SOL stabilized above $150.63, facing minimal resistance moving forward.