SBI Shinsei Bank is launching a new program that will allow customers to earn digital asset rewards from their bank deposits. The move is one of the latest examples of how traditional banking and digital assets are coming together in Japan.

According to reports from Nikkei and Coinpost, the bank will begin a three-month trial on June 10. During the trial, customers will receive vouchers worth 20% of the interest they earn on their deposits. These vouchers can be exchanged for bitcoin, ether, or XRP.

The program covers both regular savings accounts and fixed-term deposits with terms ranging from three months to five years. If the trial is successful, SBI Shinsei Bank plans to make the program a permanent service later this year.

Customers will still receive their normal interest payments in Japanese yen. The digital asset rewards will be provided in addition to the regular interest, not instead of it.

To use the program, customers must open an account with SBI VC Trade, the digital asset exchange operated by SBI Group. Once they receive the vouchers, they can redeem them for BTC, ETH, or XRP during a designated redemption period.

The idea behind the program is simple. It gives bank customers a way to gain exposure to digital assets without having to buy them directly on an exchange. The program turns a conventional savings product into a bitcoin on-ramp, allowing mainstream banking customers to gain access to digital assets through familiar financial products.

The rewards are not expected to be very large. For example, a customer with 300,000 yen (about $1,870) in deposits would receive roughly 500 yen ($3.1) worth of vouchers. A customer with 30 million yen (about $187,000) on deposit could receive around 20,000 yen ($124.7) worth of vouchers.

Although the amounts are relatively small, the program could help introduce more people to digital assets. Customers can earn bitcoin simply by keeping money in their bank accounts.

The new service is part of SBI Group's broader push into the digital assets industry. The company has been expanding its business across banking, investing, payments, and exchange services.

In March, SBI VC Trade launched a lending service for USD Coin (USDC), allowing customers to lend the stablecoin and earn returns.

The company has also been expanding its position in Japan's digital asset exchange market. In May, SBI said it was considering buying shares in Bitbank, one of Japan's largest digital assets exchanges. This came shortly after SBI VC Trade absorbed another exchange, Bitpoint Japan.

SBI is also working on investment products linked to digital assets. Reports say SBI Securities plans to offer investment trusts and exchange-traded funds focused on digital assets such as bitcoin and ether.

The company has also expanded digital asset rewards into everyday spending. Earlier this year, SBI partnered with Visa and Aplus to launch a rewards card that allows users to earn bitcoin, ether, or XRP through regular purchases.