digital assets
Laser Digital, the digital asset subsidiary of Nomura Group, has received preliminary conditional approval from the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) to establish a de novo national trust bank. The newly approved entity, Laser Digital National Trust Bank, will operate under federal supervision as a wholly owned
Weekly
Welcome to the one hundred sixty-fifth edition of the Japan FinTech Observer. This week, we are excited to have new subscribers join us from the Central Bank of Lesotho, Banking Circle, Astris Advisory Japan, Amova Asset Management, and Mizuho, among others š In an extraordinarily bullish environment for bank stocks, Rakuten
digital assets
au Coincheck Digital Assets, in partnership with telecommunications giant KDDI, has launched a new "Bitcoin-Linked Course" within its "au PAY Point Investment" platform. The newly introduced product is an aggressive investment track that allows users to experience the volatility of the cryptocurrency market without requiring a
digital assets
SBI Holdings is leading a private investment round for New York-based Temple Digital Group. This capital injection represents a vertical integration strategy designed to secure SBIās leading position within the Canton Network ecosystem ahead of a major 2026 regulatory shift. By backing the networkās leader in network-generated revenue,
Weekly
Welcome to the one hundred sixty-fourth edition of the Japan FinTech Observer. This week, we are excited to have new subscribers join us from the Central Bank of Armenia, UOB Kay Hian, Mirae Asset Global Investments, EY, and the The Foreign Correspondents' Club of Japan among others š Records, early
digital assets
SBI Group has taken two additional steps in the "on-chain" financial economy, executing a dual-track strategy designed to command both global infrastructure and domestic distribution. By securing a stake in the $222 million pre-sale for Circleās "Arc" Layer 1 (L1) blockchain while simultaneously absorbing its
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Welcome to the one hundred sixty-third edition of the Japan FinTech Observer. This week, we are excited to have new subscribers join us from the Financial Conduct Authority, PT OCBC Sekuritas Indonesia, the Global Association of Risk Professionals (GARP), and Global Financial City Osakaļ¼å½ééčé½åøOSAKAļ¼, among others š We have left
digital assets
HODL1 is a Japanese firm specializing inĀ Web3 and blockchain technology. The companyās primary operations are divided into two segments: theĀ HODL business, which focuses on the long-term accumulation and management ofĀ Ethereum, and theĀ BUIDL business, which provides consulting and development support for decentralized projects. By utilizingĀ AI-driven
crypto
2026 legislative reforms will transition the oversight ofĀ crypto-assetsĀ from the Payment Services Act to theĀ Financial Instruments and Exchange Act (FIEA). By categorizing crypto-assets as investment products rather than simple payment methods, the government aims to strengthenĀ investor protectionĀ and market integrity. The transition introduces rigorousĀ disclosure requirementsĀ for
Weekly
Welcome to the one hundred sixty-second edition of the Japan FinTech Observer. This week, we are excited to have new subscribers join us from BlackRock, Goldman Sachs, KPMG, the Central Bank of Egypt, and Paytm, among others š We are writing to you today from historic Samarkand, where the Asian Development
digital assets
SBI Holdings has communicated a three-pronged strategic initiative designed to cement its dominance in the Japanese digital finance sector. By executing a Letter of Intent (LOI) to acquire bitbank, establishing a landmark Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Visa, and launching a high-yield crypto-reward credit card, the group is signaling its
Weekly
Welcome to the one hundred sixty-first edition of the Japan FinTech Observer. This week, we are excited to have new subscribers join us from the Bank of England, the Central Bank of Ireland, the Dubai Police Academy, Harvard Law School, and BBVA Asset Management en EspaƱa, among others š We are