Japan FinTech Observer | Tontines | ex-Goldman & Barclays Tech MD
payment
Rakuten Group has obtained a patent for a system and method for simplifying person-to-person (P2P) e-money transfers, particularly when the recipient is not yet a registered user of the e-money service. 1. Core Problem to be Solved Traditionally, to send e-money to someone, the sender must first confirm that the
venture capital
venture capital
motor insurance
venture capital
LegalOn Technologies, a Tokyo and San Francisco-based startup that uses AI to speed up contract reviews, announced a USD 50 million Series E, bringing its total funding to USD 200 million. The round was led by Growth Equity at Goldman Sachs Alternatives, with continued support from existing investor World Innovation
cross-border payments
Ria Money Transfer, a global leader in the cross-border money transfer industry and a business segment of NASDAQ-listed Euronet, has become the majority shareholder through the acquisition of 60% of the shares of Unidos, the operator of Kyodai Remittance, a Japan-based funds transfer business and overseas remittance specialist. Leveraging Kyodai’
corporate venture capital
Celebrating its one-year anniversary, Chocolate Finance announced two significant milestones: the successful close of a USD 15 million Series A+ funding round as well as attaining regulatory approval to operate in Hong Kong. These achievements collectively underscore Chocolate Finance's innovative product proposition, continuing market growth, robust business model,
Insurance
On July 22, 2025, S&P Global Ratings hosted a live webinar titled "Japan Insurance Sector Trend," providing an in-depth analysis of the current state and future outlook for Japan's life and non-life insurance industries. The presentation, led by Director Toshiko Sekine and Associate Director
BaaS
GMO Aozora Net Bank is providing banking functions such as deposits, loans, and credit analysis in a BaaS format to contribute to the operation of a "data-driven banking system that aims to provide "security and safety," "flexibility," "low cost," and "high-quality UI/
blockchain
AltX Research announced that KDDI Corporation has joined as a Vision Partner for its keystone project, “Japan Smart Chain” (JSC), a Japan-sovereign layer 1 blockchain. JSC is the foundational, Japan-sovereign blockchain platform, featuring full compatibility with Ethereum and validated entirely by domestic industry leaders. It is engineered as a “compliance-first”
broker/dealer
Following the announcement of their strategic partnership in November 2024, BridgeWise and Rakuten Securities are launching their advanced StockWise equity analysis solution on Sunday, July 27, 2025. Rakuten Securities will provide its over 12 million customers with free access to cutting-edge investment insights for Japanese and U.S. equities, powered
Weekly
Welcome to the one hundred twenty-first edition of the Japan FinTech Observer. In Japan’s Upper House Elections, the ruling Liberal Democratic Party along with partner New Komeito lost its majority in the chamber. This marks the first since 1955 that the LDP-led government has fallen below a majority in