Cutting through the noise in Japanese Finance & FinTech

Nissay Asset Management Becomes First Japanese Firm to Digitise MBS Trading with Broadridge Platform

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

Credit Saison Bets on Brazil’s Zippi in USD 42.3m FIDC Expansion to Fuel Micro-Credit Boom

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

Hyperithm Backs 'Cork Protocol' in $5.5M Seed Round to Bolster On-Chain Risk Management

Virtual asset firm Hyperithm has made a seed investment in Cork Protocol, a platform specializing in on-chain risk management. The investment is part of a larger $5.5 million (approximately 7.7 billion KRW) seed funding round co-led by crypto accelerator a16z CSX and Road Capital. The round also attracted

JPX Arm Taps Snowflake to Build Industry-Wide Data Hub, Targeting 2027 Launch

JPX Market Innovation & Research (JPXI) has initiated a major overhaul of the Japanese securities industry’s digital infrastructure, announcing plans to construct a common cloud-based data platform aimed at eliminating legacy inefficiencies in back-office operations. The project, which leverages technology from data cloud company Snowflake, seeks to replace the

The Inaugural Meeting of the Startup Policy Promotion Subcommittee

The inaugural meeting of the Startup Policy Promotion Subcommittee, held in early February, marked a subtle shift in Japanese industrial policy. While historically the domain of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), the subcommittee’s establishment under the Japan Growth Strategy Council indicates a direct Prime Ministerial mandate.

Japan’s Real Wages Mark Fourth Year of Decline in 2025, But Inflation Cooling Sets Stage for 2026 Rebound

Japanese real wages contracted for a fourth consecutive year in 2025, though recent data signals that the country’s prolonged struggle with eroding purchasing power may be nearing an end, according to a recent report published by the Itochu Research Institute. Monthly Labor Survey data released by the Ministry of

Structural Implications of Interest Rate Normalization on Household Debt Archetypes

On February 6, 2026, the NLI Research Institute hosted a webinar focused on why home purchases continue to be made despite rising housing prices, interest rates, and inflation. They used various published data on the mortgage market to summarize and explain households' adaptive behavior, incorporating a financial theory perspective.

DBJ's Economic Impact Report: Maximizing the "Silicon Island" Resurgence Following TSMC’s Entry into Kyushu

The entry of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), operating through its subsidiary JASM, is a systemic catalyst for the resurgence of Kyushu’s "Silicon Island." This transition marks a pivot from the region’s historical identity as a domestic manufacturing base toward its emergence as a high-value node

MUFG and Krungsri Forge Alliance with Philippines DTI and Security Bank to Accelerate ASEAN Cross-Border Innovation

Bank of Ayudhya (Krungsri) and its parent company, Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group (MUFG), have formalized a four-way strategic partnership with the Philippines’ Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and Security Bank Corporation. The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), executed in Manila, aims to stimulate the regional digital economy by creating a

Kyndryl & IBM Japan Secure Deal to Unify Yamaguchi FG’s Regional Banking Systems by 2029

Kyndryl and IBM Japan have been selected to lead a major modernization of Yamaguchi Financial Group’s (Yamaguchi FG) core banking systems, a move designed to consolidate the regional lender’s IT operations into a single, unified platform. The modernization effort is targeted for completion by January 2029. According to

SBI Holdings Targets Coinhako Acquisition to Expand Global Digital Asset Corridor

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

PayPay Targets US Market in Strategic Alliance with Visa; Eyes California for Digital Wallet Debut

PayPay Corporation, Japan’s dominant QR code payment provider, has entered into a strategic partnership agreement with Visa to spearhead its international expansion, beginning with a significant entry into the United States market. The deal outlines a roadmap for PayPay’s first major global venture. The companies plan to establish