SBI Holdings, Mesh, Money Forward Plan Japan Crypto Joint Venture
SBI Holdings, Mesh, and Money Forward have agreed to form a joint venture in Japan to develop digital asset connectivity and payments infrastructure.
Japanese financial services group SBI Holdings has announced an agreement with US-based crypto payments network Mesh and Japan-based fintech firm Money Forward to establish a joint venture in Japan. The new entity will focus on developing infrastructure for digital assets and payments.
The venture, slated to launch in Q4 2026, will concentrate on several key areas. These include account connectivity between cryptocurrency exchanges and digital wallets, streamlining onboarding and transaction workflows, creating infrastructure for regulated stablecoins, handling tokenized assets, and facilitating cross-border integrations.
SBI Holdings, Mesh, and Money Forward also plan to explore expansion opportunities across the broader Asia-Pacific region. The initiative will operate within Japan's existing regulatory framework for crypto assets and stablecoins, overseen by the Financial Services Agency.
This joint venture aligns with SBI Holdings' ongoing expansion in the digital asset space. The company has previously shifted its blockchain initiatives to leverage Solana for tokenization and stablecoin issuance. Meanwhile, Money Forward's payment unit has recently reported significant growth in its cumulative transaction volume.