Japan FinTech Observer | Tontines | ex-Goldman & Barclays Tech MD
regional banks
The Shiga Bank and Senshu Ikeda Holdings announced on Friday, April 17, 2026, that they have entered into a capital and business alliance aimed at strengthening their regional financial capabilities and driving sustainable local growth. The newly formed partnership will be officially known as the "Senshu Ikeda / Shiga Alliance.
startups
In 2022, the "10X10X" vision was established as the structural North Star for Japan’s economic revitalization, aiming to increase both the "base" (startup volume) and the "height" (valuation and success level) tenfold by 2027. While the initial years of the "Startup Development
sustainability
A consortium of Japanese financial institutions, energy providers, and technology startups have successfully demonstrated a "24/7 Corporate Power Purchase Agreement" (C-PPA). The trial, led by Mizuho Bank, Mizuho Securities, Mizuho Leasing, Electric Power Development (J-POWER), and the DeepTech startup Scalar, is a step toward real-
blockchain
Digital Asset Markets and Intertrade (TSE: 3747) have developed a new token issuance and distribution infrastructure designed to facilitate the multi-chain expansion of the "Zipangcoin" series. The Zipangcoin series, issued by Mitsui & Co. Digital Commodities, consists of three commodity-linked crypto assets: Zipangcoin (ZPG), Zipangcoin Silver
asset management
Invesco Asset Management (Japan) has begun offering its suite of U.S. and European-listed Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs) and related services to the Japanese market. The move follows the firm’s registration as a Type 1 Financial Instruments Business Operator, which became effective April 1, 2026. The expansion allows
payments
Digital Garage and its subsidiary, DG Financial Technology (DGFT), have launched new digital wallet functionality integrated into their "Cloud Pay Business" DX solution. Developed in collaboration with group company Pocket Change, the platform aims to unify payments, loyalty programs, and customer management to drive digital transformation (DX) for
venture capital
Across Ventures, a Silicon Valley-based venture capital firm, has announced a strategic alliance with Japanese financial services giant SBI Holdings to launch a new investment vehicle aimed at bridging the gap between U.S. innovation and Japanese industry. The new fund, Across Ventures Fund I, L.P., is targeting
venture capital
Plug and Play Japan, the regional arm of the global innovation platform and venture capital firm, has successfully completed the final closing of its debut investment vehicle, "Plug and Play Japan Fund I." Total capital commitments for the fund surpassed its initial targets, reaching over 6 billion yen
venture capital
Sony Ventures Corporation (SVC), the wholly-owned venture capital arm of Sony Group, has officially commenced operations of its latest investment vehicle, Sony Innovation Fund 4 L.P. The firm confirmed that it has completed the first closing of the fund and began active investment operations as of April 2026.
Weekly
Welcome to the one hundred fifty-ninth edition of the Japan FinTech Observer. This week, we are excited to have new subscribers join us from the Korea Investment Corporation, the Central Bank of Ireland, the University of York, and a fellow whose wife left him after reading NIST SP 800-
tokenization
SBI Ripple Asia has completed the development of a blockchain-based token issuance platform and has officially registered as a "Third-Party Prepaid Payment Instrument Issuer." The registration, finalized on March 26, 2026, marks a significant step in the company’s efforts to integrate public blockchain technology with
payments
Digital Garage (TSE Prime: 4819), a leading Japanese payment and marketing group, has launched “FT MediaString,” an AI-driven advertising business designed to integrate proprietary FinTech data with premium media inventory. The initiative, spearheaded by subsidiary BI.Garage, enters the market as the digital advertising industry faces mounting challenges in