Japan FinTech Observer | Tontines | ex-Goldman & Barclays Tech MD
venture capital
Minerva Growth Partners (MGP) has announced the first close of its second flagship fund, "Minerva Growth Partners II, LP" (Fund II). The Tokyo-based firm, which specializes in growth equity, is targeting a total corpus of 20 billion yen ($130 million) with backing from both domestic and international institutional
life insurance
Prudential Life Insurance of Japan announced a sweeping leadership overhaul and a comprehensive restructuring of its governance framework, following the revelation of widespread financial improprieties among its sales force. Hiroshi Mahara, Representative Director and CEO of Prudential Life, will step down on February 1, 2026, to take managerial responsibility for
accounting
Money Forward (TSE: 3994) is a prominent Japanese FinTech company providing a comprehensive suite of Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) solutions for both businesses and individuals. As a leader in Japan's digital transformation landscape, the company is at a pivotal stage, balancing aggressive market expansion with an increasing focus on sustainable
quantum computing
Fujitsu and SC Ventures, the innovation arm of Standard Chartered, have formally announced the operational roadmap for Qubitra Technologies, a London-based joint venture designed to transition quantum computing from theoretical research to practical, commercial application within the financial services sector. Incubated under the working title "Project Quanta" in
stablecoin
In a major push to modernize Japan’s payment infrastructure, Digital Garage (DG), global payments brand JCB, and Resona Holdings have entered into a tripartite partnership aimed at the full-scale social implementation of stablecoin payments. The coalition aims to establish a next-generation financial ecosystem that leverages the stability and speed
corporate venture capital
Japanese banking giant Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (SMBC) has made its first-ever investment through its new corporate venture capital (CVC) fund. The fund, named the "SMBC Fin Atlas Beyond Fund" and launched in collaboration with Fin Capital, has participated in the recent $58 million funding round for WitnessAI,
broker/dealer
Japanese-founded and US-headquartered Alpaca, a provider of API-first stock and crypto brokerage infrastructure, has raised $150 million in a Series D funding round, propelling the company’s valuation to $1.15 billion. The round was led by Drive Capital, with participation from major institutional players including Citadel Securities, Kraken, and
Insurance
Nippon Life Insurance Company is currently executing a tender offer to acquire Medical Data Vision, with the ultimate objective of making it a wholly-owned subsidiary. This acquisition represents a decisive strategic step by Nippon Life, marking a significant investment into the high-growth healthcare data sector. This analysis will deconstruct the
cryptocurrency exchange
Binance Japan has officially launched the "Binance Japan Card", issued in partnership with Life Card and operating on the JCB network. This marks a significant move to integrate cryptocurrency into the daily spending habits of Japanese consumers. Bridging Fiat and Crypto The flagship feature of the Binance Japan
Weekly
Welcome to the one hundred forty-sixth edition of the Japan FinTech Observer. According to Morgan Stanley Investment Management, Japan is running hot. Can you feel it? Here is what we are going to cover this week: * Venture Capital & Private Markets: Credit Saison supports Mylapay's USD 1m bridge
consumer finance
AEON Financial Service has demonstrated notable resilience in its performance for the nine months ending November 30, 2025, achieving robust top-line growth. The company's results tell a clear story: its strategic investments in a powerful domestic banking and digital payments ecosystem are generating a low-cost funding engine that
robo advisor
FOLIO Holdings is an innovative financial solutions company operating within the larger SBI Group. It is driven by a powerful and forward-looking core mission, "Designing tomorrow's finance." Guided by this mission, FOLIO Holdings focuses on creating the next generation of financial solutions required by modern society,