capital markets
The Japanese ETF market ended a grueling three-quarter streak of net outflows with a commanding recovery. Total net inflows surged past the ¥1 trillion threshold, lifting total assets under management (AUM) to ¥116 trillion—a notable jump from the ¥112 trillion recorded at the end of 2025. This resurgence is
tokenization
Progmat, the leader of Japan’s “Digital Asset Co-Creation Consortium” (DCC), has published an interim summary detailing a comprehensive strategy to move traditional securities—including blue-chip stocks and investment trusts—onto blockchain infrastructure. The report, titled "On-chain-ification of All Securities," outlines both a product framework for "Japanese-style
broker/dealer
The Japanese brokerage landscape is facing ever tighter competition this spring as major players and nimble FinTechs roll out new features aimed at capturing a broader range of retail and sophisticated investors. From lowering the cost of entry for ETFs to leveraging government digital ID infrastructure for lightning-fast onboarding, here
broker/dealer
SBI Securities and Okasan Securities have entered into an absorption-type split agreement. Under the terms of the deal, Okasan Securities will transfer a significant portion of its "Okasan Online" business to SBI Securities, the industry leader. The transfer, scheduled to take effect on October 13, 2026, marks a
artificial intelligence
Mizuho Financial Group has successfully developed a proprietary, finance-specific Large Language Model (LLM) capable of delivering highly accurate, sub-second responses without relying on prolonged AI reasoning processes. Crucially, the new model operates entirely within Mizuho’s secure, on-premise network, allowing the bank to process highly confidential data with the sophistication
ai agents
SMBC Nikko Securities has entered into a strategic collaboration with blockchain infrastructure firm Nethermind, aiming to prototype a secure, compliant gateway for Japanese investors to access Decentralized Finance (DeFi) markets, utilizing advanced "agentic AI" to manage trading and risk. The initiative marks a pivotal step for one of
stablecoins
While the global stablecoin market has swelled to $300 billion following the U.S. enactment of the "Genius Act" in 2025, the sector remains overwhelmingly tethered to the Greenback. Speaking at the MoneyX/WebX conference, executives from Circle Internet Group and Binance debated the path toward a truly
capital markets
Woodstock has completed a sweeping overhaul of its service model, introducing 24-hour trading capability and completely eliminating transaction fees for US stocks. The announcement was made during a media briefing held in Tokyo, where Woodstock CEO Brian Yun outlined the company’s aggressive strategy to capture the burgeoning interest in
capital markets
Nissay Asset Management (NAM) has selected Broadridge Financial Solutions to modernize its post-trade operations, becoming the first asset manager in Japan to implement Broadridge’s Mortgage-Backed Securities Trade Assignment Portal (TAP). The announcement signals a shift in the Japanese asset management sector toward digital consolidation, specifically regarding To-Be-Announced (TBA) mortgage-backed
venture capital
enechain Corporation has successfully closed its Series B extension round, raising a total of ¥5.05 billion. The financing was structured through a combination of third-party private placement and additional long-term debt financing (including refinancing) from multiple major banks. Coreline Ventures returned as the lead investor for this round. The
broker/dealer
Japanese-founded and US-headquartered Alpaca, a provider of API-first stock and crypto brokerage infrastructure, has raised $150 million in a Series D funding round, propelling the company’s valuation to $1.15 billion. The round was led by Drive Capital, with participation from major institutional players including Citadel Securities, Kraken, and
carbon credit
The Tokyo Stock Exchange (TSE) will introduce a new clearing and settlement service designed specifically for over-the-counter (OTC) carbon credit transactions. The initiative aims to reduce the administrative burden of bilateral trading and support Japan’s Green Transformation (GX) strategy by enhancing market convenience. The service, titled the "Carbon