banking
Mizuho Financial Group’s performance through the third quarter of fiscal year 2025 represents a significant point in the Group’s medium-term trajectory. Achieving the 90% progress mark toward full-year profit targets as of December 31, 2025, Mizuho has established a formidable earnings buffer. This quarter serves as a vital
banking
Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group (MUFG) has demonstrated exceptional strategic resilience through the first nine months of FY2025, navigating a pivot in the domestic macroeconomic environment characterized by yield curve steepening and the initial stages of JPY net interest margin (NIM) expansion. The group’s revised net income target of ¥2.
venture capital
Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group (SMBC Group) is deepening its engagement with the global venture capital ecosystem, launching a new video pitch platform designed to connect Japanese seed-stage startups with institutional capital. The initiative, launched in collaboration with Silicon Valley-based GoAhead Ventures, aims to democratize access to funding by removing traditional
stablecoins
At the second Japan Stablecoin Summit hosted by Pacific Meta, KDDI and Progmat, legal and industry experts gathered to dissect why stablecoin adoption has not yet matched the speed of legislative progress. The consensus was clear: while the laws are in place, the practical business environment remains restrictive, and a
stablecoin
Pacific Meta, supported by KDDI and Progmat, hosted the second Japan Stablecoin Summit on February 3, 2026. This session discussed the domestic stablecoin market outlook for this year, with the following panelists: * Noritaka Okabe, CEO, JPYC (Issuer of yen-pegged stablecoin) * Yoshichika Imaizumi, Director for Blockchain and Innovation, Financial Services Agency
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
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.