banking
Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group (SMFG) is demonstrating strong financial performance in the first three quarters of FY3/2025, with consolidated net business profit reaching 90% of its target and bottom-line profit at 98%, significantly driven by domestic business growth and gains on stock holdings. The Medium-Term Management Plan initiatives are
venture capital
Mizuho Bank and Mizuho Capital, both consolidated subsidiaries of Mizuho Financial Group, have established the "Mizuho Business Succession and Capital Strategy Fund" (total amount: 10 billion yen) to support "capital policies aimed at smooth business succession and strengthening competitiveness of Japanese companies." Mizuho has positioned "
banking
SBI Shinsei Bank is working to enhance the corporate value of the SBI Shinsei Bank Group. As part of this effort, management is examining capital policies, including the repayment of public funds, which is a significant issue. Herewith, SBI Shinsei Bank is providing an update on the current status of
weekly
Welcome to the ninety-sixth edition of the Japan FinTech Observer. Here is what we are going to cover this week: * Venture Capital & Private Markets: JAL & Hitachi participate in BeZero Carbon's USD 32m Series C; Z Venture Capital & Decima Fund participate in Vivident's seed
regulation
The Financial Services Agency (FSA) has published a draft summary of issues and practices for dialogues on verifying the effectiveness of anti-money laundering measures for public comment, due by Thursday, February 20, 2025. The FSA emphasizes a shift towards continuous self-assessment by financial institutions, coupled with in-depth dialogue with the
banking
freee has completed its registration as a Financial Services Intermediary, allowing it to begin offering "freee Branch" accounts for corporate customers by leveraging the Banking as a Service (BaaS) platform of GMO Aozora Net Bank. Under its mission to "Make small businesses the protagonists of the world,
weekly
Welcome to the ninety-fifth edition of the Japan FinTech Observer. Thank you for all the well wishes. We are back, and so is Ueda-san, who is going to raise the policy rate to 0.5% this week. It simply has to happen, notwithstanding any nonsense coming out of Washington prior
banking
During the past week, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation has signed MOUs with the National Infrastructure Fund of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, as well as with the Saudi Investment Promotion Authority. Signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with the National Infrastructure Fund of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Sumitomo Mitsui
banking
Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (SMBC), in collaboration with SMFL MIRAI Partners (SMFL MP), a subsidiary of Sumitomo Mitsui Finance and Leasing, has released a new finance scheme for supporting capital investment in semiconductor manufacturing equipment. In this new scheme, SMFL MP will leverage its expertise in the valuation of semiconductor
banking
In October 2023, Southeast Asia Commercial Joint Stock Bank (SeABank) officially signed an agreement to transfer SeABank’s full capital contribution at Post and Telecommunication Finance Company Limited (PTF), which is 100% of PTF’s charter capital, to AEON Financial Service, the financial arm of the AEON Group, Japan’s
weekly
Welcome to the ninety-fourth edition of the Japan FinTech Observer. We apologize for the tardiness of this week's newsletter. Let's just say the editorial team has been...decimated. Not by alien invaders (though with this cough, I wouldn't rule it out), but by a
venture capital
SBI Holdings is poised to acquire a controlling stake of around 70% in German FinTech Solaris for approximately €100 million, as part of a larger €150 million fundraising round. This deal, expected to close this month, significantly reduces Solaris's valuation from its $1.6 billion peak in 2021,