payments

Digital Garage Partners with SoVa to Streamline Cash Flow and Back-Office Operations for Startups and SMEs

Digital Garage (TSE Prime: 4819) announced a new strategic collaboration with tech-enabled accounting firm SoVa aimed at improving cash flow management and back-office digital transformation (DX) for startups and small-to-medium enterprises (SMEs).

Through this partnership, SoVa users gain access to Digital Garage's corporate payment service, "DGFT Invoice Card Payment". The service allows companies to pay standard, non-card B2B invoices using a credit card, effectively extending payment due dates by up to 60 days while ensuring vendors are paid on time via bank transfer.

Targeting Financial Bottlenecks: The solution provides short-term cash flow flexibility for startups facing lengthy bank loan processes, bridging financing gaps, covering upfront advertising or procurement costs, and handling sudden spikes in outsourcing expenses.
Market Reach: Supporting major card networks—including JCB, Visa, Mastercard®, Diners Club, Saison Card, and Nicos Card—DGFT Invoice Card Payment currently offers the broadest card brand coverage in Japan, including exclusive support for Diners Club.
Strategic Focus: Digital Garage positions SME-focused B2B payments as a core part of its broader "Financial Infrastructure" strategy, aiming to strengthen digital financial systems for growing businesses.

Both companies intend to deepen their cooperation to bolster operational stability and growth for early-stage and high-growth enterprises.

BOJ Rate Hike Path Exposes Generational Divide in Japanese Household Wealth

As expectations grow for the Bank of Japan to accelerate its monetary tightening cycle—with policy rates anticipated to reach 1.25% in September 2026 and rise above 2.0% by fiscal 2028—the macroeconomic balance sheet for Japanese households appears positive on the surface, but hides significant structural pressures

Japan’s Pension Giant Steps Outside Normal Schedule, Igniting Speculation Over Asset Allocation Review

In an unusual move, Japan’s Government Pension Investment Fund (GPIF) convened a Board of Governors meeting during the mid-August summer holiday period. The session—held on August 21, 2026, and disclosed via an agenda release on August 31—marks the first time since 2019 that the board has

Japanese Yields Near 3% Threshold as Market Weighs BoJ Rate Hikes and Fiscal Risks

Japanese long-term government bond yields have pushed near the 3% level, with 10-year yields touching roughly 2.9% in mid-August. The move reflects rapid market repricing of Bank of Japan (BoJ) rate hikes following the July policy meeting and joint currency intervention. Overnight index swap (OIS) curves

NETSTARS, imToken Sign MOU to Explore In-Store Stablecoin Payments Across Japan and Asia

Tokyo-based payment gateway operator NETSTARS has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Singapore’s imToken to explore integrating the non-custodial Web3 wallet with NETSTARS’ "Stablecoin Pay" infrastructure. The initiative aims to advance real-world stablecoin adoption at physical retail locations in Japan and examine broader expansion

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BOJ Rate Hike Path Exposes Generational Divide in Japanese Household Wealth

Japan’s Pension Giant Steps Outside Normal Schedule, Igniting Speculation Over Asset Allocation Review

Japanese Yields Near 3% Threshold as Market Weighs BoJ Rate Hikes and Fiscal Risks

NETSTARS, imToken Sign MOU to Explore In-Store Stablecoin Payments Across Japan and Asia