banking
Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group (MUFG) has entered into a strategic partnership with the State Bank of India (SBI), India’s largest commercial lender in a move designed to bridge two of Asia’s largest economies. The agreement aims to facilitate cross-border expansion for both Japanese and Indian corporations. The tie-up
venture capital
Olyv, the tech-driven FinTech platform formerly known as SmartCoin, has successfully closed a USD 23 million Series B funding round. The investment was led by The Fundamentum Partnership, with significant participation from the Singapore-based SMBC Asia Rising Fund, the corporate venture capital arm of Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation. The capital
venture capital
Intellend Technologies Advisors has successfully closed a USD 1.2 million (approx. INR 10.6 crore) seed funding round. The transaction, finalized on January 20, 2026, was led by Japanese venture capital firm Incubate Fund Asia, known for its thesis-driven approach to infrastructure. The syndicate also saw strategic participation from
corporate venture capital
Mumbai-based Aerem Solutions has secured $15 million in a Pre-Series B round led by the SMBC Asia Rising Fund. While the deal size may appear modest against the backdrop of global infrastructure finance, its strategic implications are profound, marking the intersection of Japanese institutional capital’s search for yield and
capital markets
Japanese-founded, U.S.-based brokerage infrastructure provider Alpaca announced its intent to acquire Zincmoney IFSC Private Limited, a move designed to secure a regulatory foothold in India’s burgeoning financial services sector. The transaction centers on Zincmoney’s operations within the Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (GIFT City), India’s tax-neutral
corporate venture capital
Payment infrastructure startup Mylapay has secured $1 million in a fresh capital injection, fortifying its balance sheet ahead of a planned Series A fundraise. The bridge round saw follow-on commitments from existing investors CDM Capital and Credit Saison, while Pratekk Agarwaal’s GrowthCap Ventures joined the cap table as a
NBFC
MUFG Bank, a consolidated subsidiary of Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, has entered into an investment agreement with Shriram Finance, a leading non-banking financial company (NBFC) in India, and its major shareholders, Shriram Ownership Trust and Shriram Capital, to subscribe to a preferential allotment of 20% in equity shares in Shriram
mergers & acquisitions
Mizuho Securities, a consolidated subsidiary of Mizuho Financial Group, has entered into an agreement with the majority shareholder of Avendus Capital Private Limited to acquire over 60% of the shares of Avendus, subject to regulatory approvals. After completion of the acquisition, Avendus will become a consolidated subsidiary of Mizuho Securities.
mergers & acquisitions
Ambit Global Private Client, the wealth management arm of the Ambit Group - one of India’s premier financial services conglomerates, announced a landmark strategic development. Daiwa Securities Group has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire a minority stake in Ambit Wealth Private Limited. This all-primary capital infusion of
lending
Credit Saison's financial results for the first half of fiscal year 2025 (H1 FY25) present a dual narrative that is crucial for investors to understand. On one hand, the company's core domestic operations demonstrated remarkable strength, driving business profit well beyond internal targets. On the other
debt financing
Nippon Export and Investment Insurance (NEXI) has provided loan insurance for back financing related to a loan extended by a venture debt fund to Hella Infra Market Singapore, a Singapore-based subsidiary of an Indian start-up company. This marks the first individual transaction under the framework agreement entered into by NEXI,
cross-border payments
NTT Data has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with NPCI International Payments Limited, a subsidiary of the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI). The MoU establishes the foundation to enable acceptance of Unified Payments Interface (UPI), India's leading real-time payment system for Indian tourists in Japan. This