Daiwa Securities Group, in collaboration with several industry heavyweights, has announced the successful completion of a Proof of Concept (PoC) for Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC) within its online services. The initiative—a joint effort between Daiwa Securities, Daiwa Institute of Research (DIR), NEC Corporation, F5 Networks Japan, and DigiCert Japan—aims
Micronity, a Tokyo-based startup specializing in an AI-driven "business succession platform," has raised 2.2 billion JPY (approximately $14.5 million USD) in a seed funding round. The capital injection, led by domestic venture capital firms including Mitsubishi UFJ Innovation Partners (MUIP) and various individual investors, aims to
DG Financial Technology (DGFT) has officially launched a strategic initiative to bolster South Korean cross-border e-commerce (EC) by providing critical payment infrastructure for merchants targeting the Japanese market. Through a partnership with Eximbay, a leading South Korean global payment service provider, DGFT will now offer PayPay’s online payment services
Nippon Sangyo Suishin Kiko (NSSK) has successfully reached the final close of its Series IV Funds, hitting its hard cap of JPY 250 billion (approximately USD 1.7 billion). The fundraise underscores a significant appetite for Japanese private equity, with the vehicle finishing more than two times oversubscribed. The fundraising
SMBC Group has reached a definitive agreement to sell the commercial banking business of its California-based subsidiary, SMBC MANUBANK, to Bank of Hope. The move marks a significant shift for the Japanese megabank as it narrows its focus within the Americas. The transaction involves the transfer of the principal assets,
Japan Post Insurance has acquired a minority stake in Hoken Minaoshi Hompo Group (HMHG) with a view to bolster its distribution capabilities and deepen its relationship with global private equity. HMHG, a prominent Japanese insurance distributor, has been a portfolio company of KKR since its acquisition by the private equity
Novastar Ventures, a prominent fixture in the African venture capital landscape, has completed the final close of its "Africa People and Planet Fund III" at $147 million. While the total falls short of the firm’s initial $200 million target—reflecting a broader global tightening in private equity
Sumitomo Corporation is doubling down on its domestic startup ecosystem with its venture capital arm, Sumisho Venture Partners (SVP), establishing a new ¥10 billion-scale fund and transitioning its Japanese corporate venture capital (CVC) activities to a dedicated fund-based structure. The new fund, which includes existing investments currently under management, is
SMBC Group has entered into a strategic capital and business alliance with ExaWizards, a prominent AI solution provider. Under the terms of the agreement, SMFG will acquire a 10% voting stake in ExaWizards through a third-party allotment of shares. The deal, valued at approximately 5.395 billion yen (approx. $35.
Welcome to the fourth year, and the one hundred fifty-seventh edition of the Japan FinTech Observer. This week, we are excited to have new subscribers join us from Mitsui & Co., Ltd., SBI Digital Markets, Cherubic Ventures, Societe Generale Corporate and Investment Banking - SGCIB, and Visa, among others 🙏 With
Shizuoka Financial Group and The Bank of Nagoya have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to pursue a full-scale business integration. The deal, which aims to create a "top-tier" regional powerhouse, is structured as a share exchange that would see Shizuoka FG become the wholly-owning parent company of The
The Japanese bond market is entering a period of renewed volatility as a "perfect storm" of domestic policy shifts and Middle Eastern geopolitical tensions pushes interest rates toward new highs. According to a fresh analysis from Sony Financial Group, the era of low rates is facing its most