Best Altcoins to Buy as Ripple Announces Plans to Launch RLUSD in Japan

Ripple is making big moves again – this time in Japan. The company’s preparing to roll out its RLUSD stablecoin with SBI VC Trade, targeting an early 2026 launch. It’s a signal that Japan’s regulators are warming up to reserve-backed stablecoins.

Ripple and XRP will get most of the attention following this news. But when a major crypto company breaks new ground like this, it often drags smaller altcoins into the conversation because traders begin looking at tokens tied to wallets or new Layer-2s.

That’s why many are avoiding the obvious names. Some alternative projects are building momentum with real products, sticky communities, or strong token utility – and those could be the best altcoins to buy right now. So, let’s take a closer look at the RLUSD news and which coins could benefit most.

Ripple’s RLUSD Heads to Japan in Early 2026

RLUSD is a dollar-pegged stablecoin fully backed by cash and Treasuries, with third-party attestations to keep it transparent. Unlike many other stablecoins, it’s built for both speed and flexibility. On the XRP Ledger, you get cheap, near-instant transfers; on Ethereum, you get ERC-20 compatibility and access to DeFi.

The Japan angle makes this setup even more interesting. Ripple has inked a deal with SBI VC Trade to distribute RLUSD locally, and if regulators sign off, it could go live in Q1 2026.

That’s noteworthy because Japan’s new stablecoin framework was largely written with yen-pegged coins in mind – making RLUSD one of the first dollar stablecoins with a path to approval.

It’s also about utility. Japanese corporations already use Ripple’s On-Demand Liquidity for cross-border payments. Adding RLUSD gives them a dollar-denominated tool for treasury and trade finance, without leaving Ripple’s ecosystem.

With talk of upcoming exchange listings – and even hints of a future yen stablecoin – the launch could kick off a much bigger stablecoin race across Asia. And if timelines hold, Japan might become a testing ground for high-quality dollar tokens.

3 Best Cryptos to Buy as Ripple Prepares to Launch RLUSD in Japan

Ripple’s push into Japan has redirected attention onto smaller altcoins with strong fundamentals and near-term catalysts. Here are three that stand out right now:

1. Best Wallet Token (BEST)

Best Wallet Token (BEST) has been generating serious interest – it’s raised more than $15 million in presale funding, with tokens going for just $0.025515. And unlike many “idea-stage” wallet tokens, Best Wallet is already live, boasting over half a million downloads and a quarter-million monthly users.

Owning BEST provides real utility. Holders get fee discounts on swaps and transfers, boosted staking yields, early access to new token launches through its built-in launchpad, and governance rights on where the wallet goes next. There’s even a debit card in the works to link your balance to everyday spending.

Plus, with Fireblocks-powered security and recovery baked in, the wallet is set up for serious, scalable growth. No wonder YouTuber Borch Crypto is so bullish. He even suggested Best Wallet could steal significant market share from MetaMask and Trust Wallet by 2026.

Wallet-linked tokens like TWT have surged in past bull runs – and BEST could follow suit. So, with presale demand skyrocketing ahead of the upcoming DEX listing, BEST could be a top altcoin to consider buying.

2. SKALE (SKL)

If Ethereum gas fees have ever made you mad, SKALE’s (SKL) pitch will be refreshing: users pay nothing. Instead, dApp teams subscribe to their own “SKALE Chains” with SKL, and those chains come with thousands of TPS, sub-second finality, and pooled validator security backed by Ethereum.

In practice, games, dApps, and AI tools can run fast and free for users while developers foot the bill. Unsurprisingly, this model is catching on. SKALE now secures over 80 live chains with 3.9 million monthly wallets.

But it’s not just about today – its upcoming “Levitation” zk-rollup layer will allow trust-minimized bridging for ETH assets, giving it a clear path into the Layer-2 space. For developers chasing mass-market adoption, SKL could be one of the best altcoins to buy right now.

3. Bitcoin Hyper (HYPER)

Bitcoin Hyper (HYPER) aims to achieve something that has eluded the space for years: integrating DeFi into Bitcoin without compromising the chain’s security. It anchors to Bitcoin but runs the Solana Virtual Machine (SVM), meaning you get Solana-grade throughput – thousands of TPS – and smart contract flexibility.

In plain terms, you can trade, lend, or even mint NFTs on the Bitcoin Hyper Layer-2 with native BTC as collateral. This opens up lots of possibilities – like BTC-collateralized lending markets, perpetual DEXs, and low-fee payments.

The HYPER token presale has already topped $11.2 million, with tokens priced at just $0.012775. Early buyers can generate enormous staking yields, currently estimated at 98%, designed to reward those who seed liquidity before the official launch.

Thousands of people are now following Bitcoin Hyper on X and Telegram. If the team can continue growing this community, Bitcoin Hyper could become the Layer-2 that finally turns idle Bitcoin into an actively used, yield-generating asset.

Nikolay is a crypto enthusiast, with a keen interest in emerging technologies and investment strategies. He holds active positions across various crypto exchanges, regularly analyzing and investing in promising new projects and meme cryptos. Nikolay is known for his ability to take calculated risks and extract value from unconventional investments, with his highest return being 13X with the $PEPE token.
His investment philosophy includes a strategic approach focused on long-term growth, supported by in-depth research of market trends and innovations in crypto and blockchain technologies. Niki actively monitors global market changes and has a deep understanding of cryptocurrency mechanisms and their potential for development.