Tagged: japan

February 1, 2020 @ 4:30 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Japan-headquartered SBI Holdings, a major financial services company, has reportedly invested $20 million in OpenLegacy Technologies, a US-based software development company that streamlines the API integration process of core banking systems. Citi, FIS and BNP Paribas-Cardif are notably among the major clients for OpenLegacy’s platform,… Read More

January 26, 2020 @ 7:17 am By Omar Faridi  |  

Tokopedia, an Indonesia-based e-commerce marketplace, is reportedly in the final stages of closing an investment round valued at around $1.5 billion from Japan’s Softbank, China’s Alibaba Group and Singapore-based Temasek. The Tokopedia marketplace, which is notably the largest of its kind in Indonesia, is now… Read More

January 25, 2020 @ 10:30 am By Omar Faridi  |  

A group of around 70 Japanese lawmakers from the nation’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party is reportedly preparing a proposal that recommends issuing a virtual currency. Norihiro Nakayama, a member of the party and parliamentary vice-minister for foreign affairs, stated (on January 24): “China is moving… Read More

January 16, 2020 @ 6:49 pm By Cali Haan  |  

One of the world’s most famous cryptocurrency exchanges, Binance, will no longer be serving cryptocurrency speculators in Japan. Binance made the announcement on its Japanese language page. The announcement, according to an automated translation, reads: “Thank you for always patronizing Binance. Binance.com will be phasing… Read More

January 16, 2020 @ 9:25 am By Cali Haan  |  

Japan’s Financial Services Agency (FSA) plans to further reduce allowable limits on leveraged cryptocurrency bets, down from 4X of customer deposits to 2X. Japan’s Cabinet voted to greatly reduce leveraged crypto trades on local platforms last April. At that time, permitted leveraged trades were reduced… Read More

December 31, 2019 @ 2:53 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Japan-based JCB, an established business to business (B2B) payments company, is teaming up with the Singapore blockchain tech solution developer Keychain, in order to deploy DLT-based platforms in the country’s payments industry. According to a press release, Keychain is creating a new data security framework… Read More

December 20, 2019 @ 9:48 am By Samantha Hurst  |  

FIS (NYSE: FIS) announced on Thursday it has entered into an agreement with JCB, a global payment network. Through the agreement, FIS’ global e-commerce platform, WorldPay, will allow businesses that are operating in Japan to accept payments by JCB cards and will now provide an… Read More

December 20, 2019 @ 8:00 am By Cali Haan  |  

Japanese cryptocurrency exchange Coincheck, which sustained a $534 million USD hack last January, has decided to stop offering leveraged trades of cryptocurrencies on its platform. According to a company blog post: “Coincheck has decided to end the “leverage transaction” service on Friday, March 13, 2020…If… Read More

December 15, 2019 @ 10:41 pm By Samantha Hurst  |  

Western Union (NYSE: WU) announced last week it is launching its cross-border payment services in Japan. The company notably partnered with remittance company City Express to launch the service to enable global used-car customers to buy from BE FORWARD, which is one of Japan’s used-car… Read More

December 10, 2019 @ 12:20 pm By Samantha Hurst  |  

Sensely, a U.S. startup that has created avatar and chatbot-based platforms to assist insurance plan members and patients with insurance services and healthcare resources, announced on Tuesday it has been selected for the next batch of Plug and Play’s Insurtech program in Japan. According to… Read More

December 7, 2019 @ 1:05 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Securitize, a platform for the issuance and management of compliant, blockchain-based digital securities, has reportedly acquired a Japanese consulting and development firm focused on distributed ledger technology, called BUIDL, in order to further expand its operations in Japan. We just announced at the Global Brain… Read More

December 5, 2019 @ 6:17 am By Samantha Hurst  |  

Japan-based cryptocurrency exchange bitFlyer announced on Thursday the launch of Instant Buy on its Buy/Sell exchange platform in Europe. The exchange reported that the feature, which is available on desktop and smartphone, allows users to buy cryptocurrency directly from bitFlyer, using a credit card, debit… Read More

November 18, 2019 @ 7:18 am By JD Alois  |  

iSTOX, a regulated capital markets platform that provides digital security issuance and trading, has raised $5 million in funding from Tokai Tokyo Financial Holdings. According to a release from iSTOX, the funding also brings a valuable partnership that provides a gateway to accredited and institutional… Read More

November 8, 2019 @ 2:52 am By JD Alois  |  

The Japan Virtual Currency Exchange Association (JVCEA) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the International Digital Asset Exchange Association (IDAXA). This is the eighth national trade association in the sector to align with IDAXA. The goal is to provide a unified voice for… Read More

November 6, 2019 @ 8:52 pm By JD Alois  |  

Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group (MUFG) (NYSE:MUFG) has established the Security Token Research Consortium (ST Research Consortium) to develop next-generation financial transaction services using blockchain technology. Japan has emerged as a robust market for the development of blockchain technology. MUFG  is one of the largest financial… Read More

November 2, 2019 @ 1:54 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Japan-based Paidy Inc., a Fintech firm that allows consumers to make online purchases quickly and securely without using a credit card or pre-registration, announced on October 31 that it received $143 million in additional funding. As noted in a release, Paidy’s funding consisted of a… Read More

October 29, 2019 @ 10:54 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Tokyo-based Softbank, a multinational conglomerate holding company that provides fixed-line, mobile telephony, internet, telecommunications, and digital television products, is planning to invest $655 million into Greensill, a UK-headquartered supply chain finance company. Softbank has been a prominent investor in the Fintech sector having taken positions… Read More

October 29, 2019 @ 7:08 am By Omar Faridi  |  

Singapore-based crypto exchange Huobi’s Japan division has reportedly received nearly 500 million yen (appr. $4.6 million) in funding from a major Tokyo-listed firm focused on several areas including leasing, real estate, insurance brokerage and mergers and acquisitions (M&A). As noted in Huobi’s press release, the… Read More

October 24, 2019 @ 1:58 am By Cali Haan  |  

Tokyo-based firm Lead Real Estate has announced plans to, “develop condominiums and hotels in Tokyo’s popular areas such as Ginza, Shinjuku, Shibuya, Ebisu, Shinagawa, and Meguro by using funds raised through issuing security tokens (STOs).” The firm believes a combination of factors, including local RE investing… Read More

October 23, 2019 @ 12:36 pm By JD Alois  |  

Global investment crowdfunding platform and Israel’s leading venture investor OurCrowd has partnered with the Toyota Tsusho Corporation (Toyota Tsusho), a member of the Toyota Group, which comprises of 17 companies including Toyota Motor. The new partnership will launch a new business that will act as… Read More