SME finance
Zippi, the Brazilian FinTech specializing in working capital for micro-entrepreneurs, has successfully closed the third issuance of its Credit Rights Investment Fund (FIDC), raising BRL 220m (approximately USD 42.3m). The transaction marks a watershed moment for the São Paulo-based firm, not only as its largest single capital injection to
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
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
neobank
In a dual-pronged strategy to combat a saturated domestic market and capitalize on global FinTech adoption, Japanese financial services group Credit Saison has announced a major expansion of its international footprint alongside a targeted new product launch in Japan. The Tokyo-based credit card issuer confirmed this week that it plans
artificial intelligence
Mitsubishi UFJ Bank (MUFG Bank) has adopted LayerX's "Ai Workforce" platform to overhaul operations within its Solution Products Division (SPD). The implementation marks a significant shift toward digitizing the lifecycle of highly specialized financial instruments, from initial proposals through to mid-term management. Addressing the Complexity of
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
consumer finance
AEON Financial Service has demonstrated notable resilience in its performance for the nine months ending November 30, 2025, achieving robust top-line growth. The company's results tell a clear story: its strategic investments in a powerful domestic banking and digital payments ecosystem are generating a low-cost funding engine that
bnpl
Smooth, a FinTech startup disrupting the Japanese real estate market with its initial-cost installment payment service, has successfully completed the first close of its Series B funding round. The company has raised a total of approximately ¥2.85 billion (approx. USD 19.5 million), comprising both third-party equity allocation and
lending
In "Key Directives and Priorities of Japan's Financial Services Agency (October 2025)", we mentioned that Japan's Financial Services Agency (FSA) is advancing two primary programs aimed at strengthening the real economy and improving business financing, one of which is the Enterprise Value Charge (EVC,
Tallinn
We were delighted to participate in the "ICT & FinTech Mission to Tallinn" this past week, courtesy of Enterprise Estonia. Our second stop was Inbank, where we were hosted by Founder & Chief Executive Officer Priit Poldoja, as well as Chief Product & Technology Officer Erik Kaju. Introduction
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
banking
As Japan's largest megabank, Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group (MUFG) occupies a central position in both the domestic and global financial landscape. The company's recent disclosure of strong half-year financial results for the fiscal year ending March 2026 provides a clear window into its current operational momentum