Nomura Holdings has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Circle Internet Financial to develop and scale digital finance solutions across global markets, with a specific focus on Japan. The partnership will center on exploring the capabilities of on-chain finance—conducting financial transactions and settlements directly on blockchain networks.
Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group (MUFG) and its consolidated subsidiary, MUFG Bank, have announced a strategic restructuring of their Indian investment operations. The group will consolidate the operating functions of the MUFG Ganesha Fund—an investment quota dedicated to Indian startups—under Mars Equity and its managed "Dragon Funds"
Blockchain enterprise provider Ripple, in partnership with Japanese financial conglomerate SBI Holdings and its subsidiary SBI VC Trade, has officially launched its U.S. dollar-denominated stablecoin, Ripple USD (RLUSD), in Japan. The launch follows official regulatory approval from the Japan Financial Services Agency (JFSA). Under Japan's Payment
Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) has imposed an Administrative Monetary Penalty (AMP) of RM520,000 on AEON Credit Service (M) Berhad for failing to comply with targeted financial sanctions (TFS) regulations. The regulatory action follows an on-site supervisory examination by BNM, which revealed that the non-bank financial institution had
Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (SMBC) has completed a strategic investment in Montreal-based carbon removal project developer Deep Sky Corporation to accelerate the deployment of climate technologies in Japan. The financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Deep Sky operates as a tech-agnostic project developer focused on extracting
Coreline Ventures, a Silicon Valley-based venture capital firm specializing in seed and early-stage investments, has established a new vehicle dedicated exclusively to follow-on investments: Coreline Strategy Fund I. Resona Bank has joined the vehicle as a limited partner. The newly formed fund will operate in parallel with
SBI Holdings, SBI Shinsei Bank, SBI Shinsei Trust Bank, SBI VC Trade, and Singapore-based Web3 infrastructure firm Startale Group have announced the launch of "JPYSC," the nation's first trust-based, Japanese yen-pegged stablecoin. Issued by SBI Shinsei Trust Bank and distributed by SBI VC
Welcome to the one hundred sixty-ninth edition of the Japan FinTech Observer. This week, we are excited to have new subscribers join us from the Université de Tunis, Alpha Bank, the Central Bank of the Russian Federation (Bank of Russia), SBI Holdings USA, Inc., and SMBC Group, among others
GMO Coin, a consolidated subsidiary of the GMO Internet Group, and BridgeWise, a global provider of investment-focused artificial intelligence, have entered into a long-term strategic partnership. The alliance aims to deliver advanced, AI-driven financial insights tailored specifically for Japanese retail investors. The collaboration marks a significant milestone
dodoAI (formerly known as 58, Inc.), a Tokyo-based developer of enterprise AI governance infrastructure, has secured a total of ¥280 million in a seed funding round. Concurrently, the company has executed an official corporate name change from 58, Inc. to dodoAI Inc., effective June 1, 2026, to align its
SBI Ven Capital has co-led a US$5.6 million Pre-Series A funding round for Pints AI alongside Tin Men Capital, with participation from SEEDS Capital, NTUitive, SUTD Venture Fund, and Tenity. As financial institutions globally look to transition artificial intelligence from peripheral use cases—like customer service
Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group (SMFG) and its banking unit, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (SMBC), have announced a new investment in a hedge fund managed by an emerging asset manager, taking advantage of Japan's shifting monetary environment, The investment, executed in collaboration with BNP Paribas Asset Management, through its