Penguin Securities Pushes for Expansion in Singapore and Japan
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 through a third-party allotment of new shares and saw participation from a slate of strategic investors, including the Mint Startup Fund II (managed by Mint Co., Ltd.), the Tokyo University of Science Investment Management Company, Thirdwave Financial, NAKASHIMATO, and UNITED, alongside several individual investors.
Bridging TradFi and Crypto
The fresh capital injection comes as Penguin Securities seeks to capitalize on its regulatory standing. Following the acquisition of a Capital Markets Services (CMS) license by its subsidiary, the Group is pivoting to offer a hybrid suite of products.
While the firm initially carved out a niche in digital asset derivatives, the new funding will support an expansion into traditional securities—including equities, bonds, and exchange-traded funds (ETFs). Management indicates this strategy is a direct response to a "growing volume of inquiries" from two distinct client bases: crypto-native investors seeking stable traditional yields, and traditional institutional investors looking for regulated exposure to digital asset strategies.
Tech Stack and Expansion
Beyond product diversification, a significant portion of the proceeds is earmarked for technological upgrades. The Group plans to launch a mobile application designed to shorten investment decision-making cycles. The app will integrate core internal systems with vendor platforms to automate key compliance and operational workflows, including KYC (Know Your Customer) processes and account openings.
Geographically, the Group is reinforcing its presence in the Japan-Singapore corridor. Leveraging its roster of Japan-based backers and partners, Penguin Securities intends to scale its offerings in the Japanese market while solidifying its position as a trusted financial services group in Singapore.
Regulatory Footprint
The Group operates with a distinct regulatory structure to manage risk. Its regulated subsidiary, Penguin Securities Pte Ltd (PSPL), holds the CMS license under the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) for dealing in capital markets products. Meanwhile, payment token derivative services are handled by a separate entity, Penguin Securities Trading Pte Ltd, which operates outside the regulatory scope of the MAS for those specific instruments.
As regulatory frameworks for digital assets continue to mature across Asia, Penguin Securities is betting that a platform capable of handling both institutional-grade digital assets and traditional financial instruments will capture the next wave of capital allocation.
Norbert Gehrke
