Japan Fintech Week

A heartfelt thank you to everyone who joined Japan Fintech Week 2025 — although this comes a bit late! Our second Japan Fintech Week saw even more international participation than last year, with a great increase in attendees and lively discussions throughout the week. It was truly a pleasure to engage with so many of you. I had the honor of speaking in sessions on #OpenFinance and #AI, and I deeply appreciated the opportunity to hear from a wide range of stakeholders. Every conversation was insightful and inspiring. And above all, I was so happy to reconnect with many of the women leaders I deeply admire. Next year, we’d love to create a space where more female leaders can come together! Loren Bushkar Jane Moore Camilla Bullock Mayumi Ojima Yuko Kawai Tamara Singh TRAM ANH NGUYEN Makiko Otake Azusa Yamada keiko ogawa Chang Li Amanda Wick Yuki Kamimoto Dea Markova Let’s meet again in Japan, 2026. Arigato🌸 Financial Services Agency, Japan (JFSA, 金融庁) Fintech Association of Japan Shigeru Ariizumi Toshiyuki Miyoshi Ryosuke Ushida Hideaki “Jerry” Namiki Takuya Kobori Michi Kakebayashi Takashi OKITA Takafumi Ochiai Yuki Kishi Takeshi Kito Pieter Franken James Boey Sopnendu Mohanty

VARA CEO Matthew White took part in an engaging roundtable at the GFTN Forum Japan, a key event within Japan Fintech Week 2025. The discussion was centered on the global regulatory harmonisation and the role of stablecoins, fostering valuable knowledge exchange among industry leaders.   A huge thank you to the organisers, Financial Services Agency, Japan (JFSA, 金融庁), the moderator Chris Brummer, and our esteemed peers for an engaging and insightful conversation; Matthew Long, Nobuyasu Sugimoto, Ryosuke Ushida, Matthias Obrecht, Elisabeth Wallace, Dr Rhys Bollen   #VARA #GFJ25

Shigeru Ariizumi, Vice Minister for International Affairs of the Financial Services Agency, Japan (JFSA, 金融庁), laid out a bold vision at the 2025 GFTN Forum, Japan: 🔹 Empowering financial institutions to harness AI safely and effectively: The FSA champions the responsible and forward-thinking use of AI. Leading in innovation to make informed policy decisions, staying attuned to technological advancements and their real-world applications by financial institutions. 🔹 Advancing global standards for crypto and digital assets: As an early adopter of crypto asset regulations, Japan offers extensive regulatory expertise. By leading discussions at the FSB, IOSCO, and FATF, Japan seeks to shape a unified framework for cross-border crypto assets and stablecoins. 🔹 Creating a welcoming, innovation-driven market for global players: Aligned with government guidelines, the FSA is committed to leading digitalization in the financial sector. Welcoming both domestic and international entrants, as they foster healthy competition and enhance services for customers in Japan. The future of finance is here - Japan is ready to lead the way. Register your interest now to be the first to hear updates about #GFTNForumJapan 2026: https://hubs.ly/Q03cr-ZR0

I had the great pleasure to join Petra Hielkema (she / her) at a panel session kindly moderated by Will Thorne at the Insurtech Conference in London yesterday. We discussed the crossroads of fintech and capital markets. A very lively exchange of views as Japan and Europe have a similar challenge, encouraging innovation while making efforts to flourish the capital markets. Thanks Petra for the always constructive exchange of views and Will for being a great moderator!

#JapanFintechWeek was a huge success! I am happy to make a small contribution to it. On 4 March I was invited to FIN/SUM 2025 for a fireside chat on the future of digital finance with Leong Sing Chiong, Deputy Managing Director of the Monetary Authority of Singapore. On the previous day I also joined the "Global Regulators Dialogue: Digital Assets, AI, and the Future of Fintech" at #GFTN Forum Japan with Professor Bob Wardrop of the University of Cambridge and Jay Surti of the #IMF. In addition, I was honoured for the opportunity to give remarks at the #GFTN Forum Japan VIP Reception! Look forward to #JapanFintechWeek 2026!

Bridging Australia and Japan in #FinTech Japan’s rapidly evolving digital finance landscape and Australia’s expertise create a strong foundation for collaboration. It was a pleasure to host the Australia - Japan FinTech Exchange at the Australian Embassy in Tokyo today, bringing together leaders from both countries to explore new opportunities in financial innovation, and to highlight Australia’s upcoming presence at #Expo2025. A huge thank you to our speakers, participants, and partners who made this event a success. It’s clear that Australia and Japan have much to gain from deeper engagement in fintech, and I’m excited to see where these connections lead. 🇯🇵 🇦🇺 Kendall D. Hiroyuki Sakai Amy-Rose Goodey Masashi Yanase

Japan Fintech Week 2025: A Cold Week, but a Hot Success! The numbers are still being counted, but one thing is clear—this year’s Japan Fintech Week brought together even more participants than last year, making it our most successful edition. Despite the chilly weather, the energy inside the venue was phenomenal. From insightful panels to thought-provoking discussions, it was inspiring to see so many global leaders pushing the boundaries of financial innovation. This year, the Financial Services Agency, Japan (JFSA, 金融庁) further strengthened its role as a pro-innovation regulator. With Commissioner Hideki Ito’s keynote and the Vice Minister Shigeru Ariizumi’s keynotes, we showcased Japan’s commitment to enabling responsible financial innovation. One phrase echoed throughout the event: “The risks of not taking action.” Whether in AI, digital assets, or financial transformation, standing still is no longer an option. ▪️AI: FSA published the first-ever AI document to guide financial institutions toward sound AI adoption (English version full text coming in a few weeks) . https://lnkd.in/gCkbBicc ▪️Digital Assets: We announced the first stablecoin intermediary registration, by which USDC will be circulating in Japan soon through regulated custodial wallets. I am looking forward to healthy and tangible use cases. On a personal note, I found myself deeply engaged in panels and roundtables—so much so that I regret not having more time to catch up with many of my regulator and industry friends. But I truly appreciate each and every one of you who joined. Let’s reconnect soon—perhaps at coming international fintech conference such as Money20/20, Dubai FinTech Summit and Point Zero Forum, or somewhere else on the global circuit! And of course, mark your calendars—we’ll be back with Japan Fintech Week 2026 at the same time next year. Looking forward to welcoming you all again! Japan Fintech Week is a DAO. While the FSA is an organizing event, our incredible partners—GFTN Forum Japan, Fintech Association of Japan, THE FINTECH CENTER of TOKYO, FINOLAB(フィノラボ), FDUA, and many more—to shape this event into what it is today: not stiff but open, vibrant, and truly global. Whe I was a blockchain researcher at Georgetown University, I wrote that even in decentralized ecosystems, trust points remain essential. JFSA continues to be the trust anchor for Japan Fintech Week, ensuring a stable foundation while empowering And none of this would be possible without our mighty FSA team, whose dedication behind the scenes made everything run smoothly. Thank you! #JapanFintechWeek 沖田 貴史 Jumpei Miwa Takafumi Ochiai Takeshi Kito Pieter Franken Sopnendu Mohanty Alan Lim Shun Kobayashi Alex Pelin Hideaki “Jerry” Namiki Chihiro Ban Masashi Yanase Chang Li Shin'ichiro Matsuo Kunihiro Ishibashi Makoto Shibata Chris Brummer Austin Campbell Robert (Bob) Wardrop 岡田 拓郎 Yuko Kawai Yuta Takanashi Nobuyasu Sugimoto Keisuke Kimura Jon Fink Isaksen 三好 敏之 Jutaro Kaneko Ian Lee

As FIN/SUM 2025 concludes today, we reflect on the wealth of knowledge shared across diverse topics such as payments, Web3, AI, and cybersecurity. In the coming days, we will be highlighting some of the key sessions. One notable session, "Global Trends in Crypto Regulation," brought together distinguished experts including Professor Chris Brummer from Georgetown University, Jane Moore from the Financial Conduct Authority, Tuang Lee Lim from Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), and Vice Minister for International Affairs at Financial Services Agency, Japan (JFSA, 金融庁), Shigeru Ariizumi. They engaged in a profound discussion on cryptocurrencies and stablecoins, offering invaluable insights. #JapanFintechWeek2025 #FINSUM2025