venture capital
Singapore-based investment firm Cross Capital is advancing toward the final close of its debut Fund of Funds (FoF), having secured new capital commitments from Resona Bank and packaging giant Toyo Seikan Group. The newly formed partnerships bring the total number of corporate Limited Partners (LPs) in the Cross Capital I
cryptocurrency exchange
Japanese financial services giant SBI Holdings is set to significantly expand its footprint in the Southeast Asian crypto market, announcing its intention to acquire a majority stake in Coinhako, a leading Singapore-based digital asset platform. SBI confirmed that its subsidiary, SBI Ventures Asset, has signed a letter of intent with
DeFi
Secured Finance AG, the Japanese-founded, Swiss-based developer of the Secured Finance DeFi protocol, has integrated tokenized real-world assets (RWAs) into its lending platform, marking a significant step in bridging traditional capital markets with decentralized finance. Under the new partnership with DigiFT, a regulated exchange for real-world assets, users can now
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
corporate venture capital
Japanese insurance heavyweight Tokio Marine has acquired a minority stake in Singaporean InsurTech startup Igloo, investing $5 million as it seeks to fortify its digital presence in Southeast Asia’s high-growth markets. According to filings lodged with Singapore’s Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority (ACRA), Tokio Marine acquired 493,984
venture capital
SBI Holdings has taken the role of lead investor in the Series A funding round for Saladin Consulting and Technology, a technology startup based in Vietnam. This investment was executed through the SBI-NTU-Kyobo Digital Innovation Fund, a Singapore-based fund managed by the SBI Group. The funding round also attracted participation
mergers & acquisitions
Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group (SMFG) has reached an agreement to acquire a majority stake in kAIgentic, a company incorporated by Mr. Mazhari, SMBC Group’s AI Transformation Advisor, in Singapore in August 2025. kAIgentic led by Mr. Mazhari builds the enterprise “Intelligence Layer” to accelerate AI transformation within the SMBC
corporate venture capital
WIZ.AI, a Singapore-based AI company pioneering the enterprise application of large language models (LLMs) in Southeast Asia, has announced the successful closing of its Series B funding round, raising tens of millions of USD. The round was led by SMBC Asia Rising Fund, the corporate venture capital arm of
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,
venture capital
Tazapay, a leading global cross-border payments infrastructure platform, has successfully closed its Series B funding round with investment from Peak XV Partners, Ripple, Circle Ventures, Norinchukin Capital, and GMO VenturePartners. Existing investor Peak XV Partners led the round and 2 other existing investors January Capital and ARC180 joined the round.
venture capital
DigiFT, a licensed exchange purpose-built for institutional-grade, tokenized real-world assets (RWAs), has raised a total of US$25 million to date—following the close of a new strategic funding round. The latest round was led by SBI Holdings, Japan’s largest financial group, with participation from leading institutional investors including
corporate venture capital
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,