Weekly
Welcome to the one hundred forty-sixth edition of the Japan FinTech Observer. According to Morgan Stanley Investment Management, Japan is running hot. Can you feel it? Here is what we are going to cover this week: * Venture Capital & Private Markets: Credit Saison supports Mylapay's USD 1m bridge
payments
Lacoste Japan has reported a significant recovery in its digital transaction processing capabilities, announcing that authorization approval rates have surged to 90% following the integration of Riskified’s (NYSE:RSKD) AI-driven fraud detection platform. The implementation, completed in May 2025, marks a strategic pivot for the French apparel giant’s
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
Weekly
Happy New Year! Welcome to the one hundred forty-fifth edition of the Japan FinTech Observer. Japan's Minister of Finance, Satsuki Katayama, rang the bell at the Tokyo Stock Exchange to open the new trading year today. We are pleased to announce the "Product of the Year 2025&
stablecoin
NETSTARS, a leading QR code payment gateway provider, will begin a pilot program accepting Circle's U.S. dollar-pegged stablecoin "USDC" for payments at physical retail locations within Haneda Airport Terminal 3. The initiative, claimed by the company to be a first for brick-and-mortar stores in Japan,
tokenized deposits
DeCurret DCP has entered into a strategic partnership with Kyushu Financial Group and its banking subsidiaries—The Higo Bank and The Kagoshima Bank—to explore the implementation of tokenized deposits using the "DCJPY" digital currency network. This collaboration marks the first initiative of its kind by a regional
Weekly
Welcome to the one hundred forty-fourth edition of the Japan FinTech Observer. The last full work week of the year brought a couple of significant deals (Amova, SMBC), a few new industry associations (the Business Invoice Payment Services Association, or BIPSA, the Japan Digital Decentralized Finance Association, or JDFA, and
payments
The landscape of business-to-business (B2B) transactions in Japan is undergoing a significant transformation, driven by the rapid growth of Business Invoice Payment Services (BIPS). These services provide a vital bridge between traditional invoicing and modern cashless payments, enhancing operational flexibility for Japanese enterprises. This rapid adoption has outpaced direct legislative
stablecoin
SBI VC Trade and Aplus, both subsidiaries of the financial conglomerate SBI Group, will partner to launch a proof-of-concept (PoC) for in-store payments using the U.S. dollar-pegged stablecoin, USD Coin (USDC). The pilot program, scheduled to commence in the spring of 2026, aims to establish a new commercial model
payments
Nudge has announced the formation of the "Entertainment × Fintech Consortium," a strategic alliance designed to facilitate co-creation between the entertainment sector and domestic financial institutions. The initiative marks Japan’s first industry-spanning ecosystem aimed at integrating financial services with the entertainment business model. Strategic Overview Nudge formally launched
artificial intelligence
au Jibun Bank has moved to bolster its internet banking security infrastructure, announcing the deployment of "AI Zero Fraud," a proprietary detection system developed by cybersecurity firm LAC. The integration, which went live during December 2025, represents a strategic shift toward artificial intelligence to mitigate the rising risk
Weekly
Welcome to the one hundred forty-third edition of the Japan FinTech Observer. We have done it! Not only is the Bank of Japan the only major central bank to raise its policy rate this year, it has done so twice. Well done, Ueda-san & team, leading us further down the