motor insurance
japan
venture capital
LegalOn Closes $50 Million Series E Led by Goldman Sachs
LegalOn Technologies, a Tokyo and San Francisco-based startup that uses AI to speed up contract reviews, announced a USD 50 million Series E, bringing its total funding to USD 200 million. The round was led by Growth Equity at Goldman Sachs Alternatives, with continued support from existing investor World Innovation
cross-border payments
Kyodai Remittance Acquired by Ria Money Transfer in Push for Asia Expansion
Ria Money Transfer, a global leader in the cross-border money transfer industry and a business segment of NASDAQ-listed Euronet, has become the majority shareholder through the acquisition of 60% of the shares of Unidos, the operator of Kyodai Remittance, a Japan-based funds transfer business and overseas remittance specialist. Leveraging Kyodai’
corporate venture capital
Nikko Asset Management leads, Saison Capital participates in Chocolate Finance's Series A+
Celebrating its one-year anniversary, Chocolate Finance announced two significant milestones: the successful close of a USD 15 million Series A+ funding round as well as attaining regulatory approval to operate in Hong Kong. These achievements collectively underscore Chocolate Finance's innovative product proposition, continuing market growth, robust business model,
Insurance
S&P Global: Japan Insurance Trends
On July 22, 2025, S&P Global Ratings hosted a live webinar titled "Japan Insurance Sector Trend," providing an in-depth analysis of the current state and future outlook for Japan's life and non-life insurance industries. The presentation, led by Director Toshiko Sekine and Associate Director
BaaS
"BaaS by GMO Aozora" for 01 Bank, a 100% Subsidiary of Ikeda Senshu Holdings
GMO Aozora Net Bank is providing banking functions such as deposits, loans, and credit analysis in a BaaS format to contribute to the operation of a "data-driven banking system that aims to provide "security and safety," "flexibility," "low cost," and "high-quality UI/
blockchain
Japan Smart Chain Welcomes KDDI Corporation as a New Vision Partner
AltX Research announced that KDDI Corporation has joined as a Vision Partner for its keystone project, “Japan Smart Chain” (JSC), a Japan-sovereign layer 1 blockchain. JSC is the foundational, Japan-sovereign blockchain platform, featuring full compatibility with Ethereum and validated entirely by domestic industry leaders. It is engineered as a “compliance-first”
broker/dealer
BridgeWise Launches AI-Driven Stock Analysis With Rakuten Securities
Following the announcement of their strategic partnership in November 2024, BridgeWise and Rakuten Securities are launching their advanced StockWise equity analysis solution on Sunday, July 27, 2025. Rakuten Securities will provide its over 12 million customers with free access to cutting-edge investment insights for Japanese and U.S. equities, powered
bankruptcy
AMT: Japan's New "Early Business Turnaround Act"
In a newsletter published at the end of June, Anderson Mori & Tomotsune (AMT) lawyers explained the newly enacted "Act on Procedures for Adjustment of Debts Owed by Business Operators to Financial Institutions, etc. for Facilitating Business Turnaround," referred to as the "Early Business Turnaround Act."
bank of japan
The Exit Strategy for the Bank of Japan's ETF Holdings
As the Bank of Japan has now completed the sale of single stocks it purchased from banks as part of its financial system stabilization measures, the focus is shifting towards an exit strategy for the holdings of exchange-traded funds (ETFs) purchased under the large-scale monetary easing. For this discussion, we
regional banks
Daiwa Institute of Research: Cross-Prefectural Restructuring of Regional Banks
The Daiwa Institute of Research published a paper titled "Cross-Prefectural Restructuring of Regional Banks: The Reorganization of Local Economic Zones at its Foundation" on July 11, 2025, providing a detailed analysis of the ongoing restructuring of Japan's regional banking sector, and arguing that these realignments are
generative ai
FDUA publishes Updated Version of the "Financial Generative AI Guideline 2025"
The "Guidelines for the Use of Generative AI in Financial Institutions" is a comprehensive framework designed to help Japanese financial institutions navigate the rapidly evolving landscape of Generative AI. Version 1.1 represents a significant update to the initial release, incorporating a year's worth of practical