NFT
Mercari has launched "Mercari NFT" today, an online marketplace for NFTs on Mercari. The new service allows users to use Mercari to buy and sell popular NFTs available on OpenSea, a major NFT marketplace based in the US. This change kicks off the expansion of Mercari’s business
payments
Nuvei announced an expansion in Asia-Pacific (APAC), having completed the acquisition of Paywiser Japan, including its acquiring license granted by the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI). The license enables Nuvei to progress with launching direct acquiring capabilities in Japan across all major card schemes, and to extend
Weekly
Welcome to the ninety-sixth edition of the Japan FinTech Observer. Here is what we are going to cover this week: * Venture Capital & Private Markets: JAL & Hitachi participate in BeZero Carbon's USD 32m Series C; Z Venture Capital & Decima Fund participate in Vivident's seed
regulation
The Financial Services Agency (FSA) has published a draft summary of issues and practices for dialogues on verifying the effectiveness of anti-money laundering measures for public comment, due by Thursday, February 20, 2025. The FSA emphasizes a shift towards continuous self-assessment by financial institutions, coupled with in-depth dialogue with the
Insurance
The Financial Services Agency, through the respective Financial Bureaus, has issued administrative orders against Good Speed and Toyota Mobility Tokyo, both of which are involved in car sales, repair, and also operate as insurance agencies. Both companies have been found to have significant issues across multiple areas, including: improper insurance
Insurance
Prudential Financial and Dai-ichi Life Holdings have announced their intent to pursue a strategic partnership focused on product distribution and asset management capabilities. The partnership would include a product distribution agreement in Japan, where Prudential would select Dai-ichi’s wholly owned subsidiary, The Neo First Life Insurance Company, as an
Economics
On Friday, January 24, 2024, FinCity.Tokyo hosted the "Tokyo Asset Management Forum" (TAMF) in the morning, and the "FinCity Global Forum" (FCF) in the afternoon. This FGF Keynote Talk centers around the global economic outlook, with a specific focus on Japan, its economic policies, and
wealth management
WealthNavi, the provider of “WealthNavi,” the top Japanese robo-advisor in terms of assets under management and number of users, announced that assets under management reached 1.4 trillion yen as of January 23, 2025, approximately 8 years and 6 months since the official release in July 2016. Also, MUFG'
insurtech
CIEN, a fully-owned subsidiary of hokan, has obtained a paid recruitment business license on January 1, 2025, and has launched a new insurance industry-focused talent recruitment service. This service aims to support human resources challenges for insurance companies, insurance agencies, insurance-related companies, insurtech firms, and overseas companies planning to enter
venture capital
Pacific Meta is a Tokyo-based company that provides end-to-end support as a “Web3 Accelerator” for Web3 projects both domestically and internationally. Pacific Meta supports companies and projects challenging the Web3 space by leveraging their specialized expertise in Web3 to offer assistance in fundraising, consulting, business development, and marketing. Additionally, they
artificial intelligence
Vivident, a startup developing AI-powered character IP technology, has secured $1.5 million in seed funding from global investors across South Korea, Japan, the United States, and Hong Kong. The round included participation from leading venture firms including Hashed, Mashup Ventures, TheVentures, Modhaus (Korea), Sfermion (US), as well as Japan&
payments
The Financial System Council's Working Group on Payment Services has published its key findings and recommendations today. The report addresses emerging issues in the Japanese FinTech landscape, focusing on payment and settlement services, crypto-assets, stablecoins, and other related topics. It proposes several regulatory adjustments to balance innovation with