mergers & acquisitions
Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) is reconvening the Fair Acquisition Study Group, a move aimed at revisiting the country’s corporate takeover framework. The decision comes in response to growing concerns regarding market interpretation of existing rules and follows significant statutory changes to Japan’s financial
banking
SBI Shinsei Bank has entered a decisive growth phase, characterized by robust double-digit increases across all primary profitability metrics for the nine-month period ending December 31, 2025. This performance must be contextualized within the broader shift in the Japanese financial sector as the Bank of Japan is normalizing the interest
venture capital
Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group (MUFG) and its banking subsidiaries have commenced operations of Artemis Ventures, a new general partner entity designed to manage a targeted 50 billion yen ($330 million) equity fund focused on Japan’s mid-to-late-stage startups. The banking giant has appointed Archibald Ciganer—a veteran investor formerly with
tokyo metropolitan government
The 2025 Tokyo Financial Award winners—Impact Circle, Clarity AI, Japan Asset Management Platform Group, Myna Wallet, EduCare, and Henry could provide functional components of a broader structural reorganization of the Japanese financial landscape. As the Tokyo Metropolitan Government intensifies its "Global Financial City: Tokyo" initiative, these six
DeFi
Secured Finance AG, the Japanese-founded, Swiss-based developer of the Secured Finance DeFi protocol, has integrated tokenized real-world assets (RWAs) into its lending platform, marking a significant step in bridging traditional capital markets with decentralized finance. Under the new partnership with DigiFT, a regulated exchange for real-world assets, users can now
stock exchange
The Osaka Exchange (OSE)—a subsidiary of the Japan Exchange Group—has selected Nasdaq (NDAQ) to provide the technology backbone for its next-generation derivatives platform. Under the agreement, OSE will deploy Nasdaq’s Eqlipse Trading and Market Surveillance platforms. The deal represents a significant modernization effort for the Japanese exchange,
broker/dealer
Penguin Securities has completed its Pre-Series A financing round, bringing the Singapore-based group’s cumulative funding to USD 18 million. The announcement signals a continued appetite among investors for infrastructure plays that bridge the gap between the burgeoning digital asset economy and traditional financial markets. The funding round was structured
blockchain
Japanese financial services giant SBI Holdings and Web3 infrastructure firm Startale Group have formally unveiled "Strium," a joint venture aimed at establishing a dominant blockchain infrastructure for the Asian capital markets. The project represents the first major deliverable from the strategic partnership the two entities formed in August
payments
DG Financial Technology (DGFT), the payment processing subsidiary of Digital Garage (TSE Prime: 4819), has expanded its unified QR code payment solution, "Cloud Pay," to include support for "AEON Pay." This integration connects DGFT’s merchant network with the extensive user base of AEON Financial Service.
broker/dealer
SMBC Nikko Securities has established a "DeFi Technology Department" to capitalize on Japan’s evolving digital asset landscape. The new division is tasked with spearheading the brokerage’s expansion into decentralized finance (DeFi) and crypto asset services, anticipating major legislative overhauls expected later this year. The creation of
capital markets
The Development Bank of Japan (DBJ) has established a joint investment framework in Vietnam with Saigon Securities (SSI), a leading private securities firm in Vietnam. The launch comes at a pivotal moment for Vietnam’s capital market, as FTSE Russell has upgraded Vietnam to Secondary Emerging Market status and the
neobank
In a dual-pronged strategy to combat a saturated domestic market and capitalize on global FinTech adoption, Japanese financial services group Credit Saison has announced a major expansion of its international footprint alongside a targeted new product launch in Japan. The Tokyo-based credit card issuer confirmed this week that it plans