Welcome to the one hundred forty-ninth edition of the Japan FinTech Observer. The one hundred-fiftieth edition will arrive in your inbox post the February 8 election. If you are looking to meet in person this week, you will find us at the Japan Stablecoin Summit No. 2, the JBA Meetup
Nomura Holdings’ third-quarter results for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2026, provide a clear validation of the firm’s "2030 Management Vision." Achieving a Return on Equity (ROE) of 10.3%, the group has now successfully met its 8%–10% target range for the seventh consecutive quarter.
Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group (SMBC Group) continues to demonstrate exceptional momentum as of the third quarter of FY3/2026, benefiting significantly from the normalization of the Japanese macro-financial landscape. The results through December 31, 2025, indicate a robust transition into a higher-interest-rate environment, with top-line growth fueled by domestic margin
Global payments giant Visa and Southeast Asian payment gateway Omise have announced a strategic partnership to fortify Thailand’s digital commerce infrastructure. The collaboration introduces Visa’s Network Token solution to the Thai market, a technological shift aimed at mitigating online fraud while simultaneously increasing transaction approval rates for local
SBI Global Asset Management (SBIGAM) has delivered a historic quarter, achieving record-breaking financial results and successfully executing key strategic initiatives. These outstanding achievements are the culmination of a consistent, long-term strategy focused on delivering superior value through innovation, scale, and customer trust. The results from this quarter unequivocally validate SBIGAM&
Yoii has analyzed the 2026 funding landscape for Japanese startups based on a survey of 100 companies and venture capitalists. While both groups agree that 2025 was a difficult year, venture capitalists maintain a more optimistic outlook for the future than entrepreneurs. A significant perception gap exists regarding priorities: startups
The year 2025, the second following Japan's landmark NISA reforms, saw a massive and steady flow of capital into the market, with total net inflows reaching approximately ¥14.2 trillion. However, this headline figure masks the year's defining characteristic: a profound qualitative shift in how that
The Japanese startup ecosystem entered 2025 in a phase of consolidation and strategic re-evaluation. Top-level funding metrics serve as a critical barometer for the health of this ecosystem, reflecting aggregate investor confidence and the overall capacity for innovation. Understanding these macro trends is the first step in identifying the underlying
SMBC Edge, a strategic subsidiary of the Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (SMBC) Group, has executed approximately ¥3 billion in capital investments across five domestic startups. This marks the first major deployment of capital from the “SMBC Edge Fund I, L.P.,” which was established in October 2025 to accelerate the
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
This post evaluates the business environment for innovators in Japan, based exclusively on the findings of the "Innovators Business Environment Index (IBEI) 2026" published by StartupBlink. The objective is to dissect Japan's global strengths and weaknesses as identified in the IBEI and to benchmark its performance
Japan Post Bank announced a strategic reorganization of its asset management subsidiaries, resolving to merge JP Asset Management and Japan Post Investment to form a unified entity aimed at bolstering the group’s investment capabilities. The new entity, to be named Japan Post Bank Asset Management, will launch on April