SBI Holdings Invests $661M into Web3
SBI Holdings: An Introduction
SBI Holdings, also known as Strategic Business Innovator Group (TYO: 8473), is a financial services conglomerate headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. It serves as a holding company for various subsidiaries and business entities.
The company's services span asset management, financial services, and also maintain a business segment focused on biotechnology, cosmetics development, health food, and pharmaceuticals.
SBI Holdings' Investment in Web3, AI, and NFT Games
In a strategic move, SBI Holdings has announced a fund worth ¥100 billion ($661.7 million) to underline Japan's commitment to investing in startups in the web3, AI, and NFT game sectors.
Key financial institutions such as Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, Mizuho Bank, Nippon Life Insurance, and Daiwa Securities Group have collectively committed over $330 million to this initiative.
The fund aims to facilitate the growth of 150-200 startups, each receiving significant support ranging from hundreds of millions to billions of yen (JPY).
Web3 and NFT games are rapidly developing in Japan, and the investment seeks to strengthen their ecosystems and support local startups in these fields.
Highlighted Japanese Game Industry Players Venturing into Web3
Japan's traditional gaming industry is currently booming, with major players like Bandai Namco, Square Enix, Sega, and Konami leading the charge. All are early adopters of web3 technologies in their gaming platforms, with funding from SBI Holdings poised to bolster their projects in the web3 space.
Bandai Namco: RYUZO (Oasys)
Bandai Namco recently partnered with Oasy, a blockchain gaming platform, to create RYUZO, an AI-supported NFT pet-raising game.
The NFT game is being developed by Bandai Namco Research in collaboration with Japanese startup Attructure and produced by Double Jump Tokyo.
Square Enix: Symbiogenesis (Polygon)
Square Enix, a major game corporation, has collaborated with Polygon to launch its web3 project named Symbiogenesis.
Utilizing the Polygon blockchain, Symbiogenesis aims to provide gamers with a fast, secure, and sustainable gaming experience.
With cooperation from Square Enix and Polygon Labs, the team behind the decentralized Polygon protocol, they are increasingly integrating the latest web3 technologies into their games.
Sega: Battle of Three Kingdoms (Oasys)
Another player, Sega, is developing Battle of Three Kingdoms, an anticipated NFT trading card game (TCG) on the Oasys blockchain, in partnership with Double Jump Tokyo.
Leveraging the popularity of the Sangokushi Taisen card game brand, this marks Sega's first web3 NFT game project, blending traditional card gameplay with modern web3 technology.
Konami: Project Zircon (TBD)
Konami, renowned for classics like Yu-Gi-Oh! and Castlevania, recently announced its new web3 NFT game Project Zircon.
The declaration underscores Konami's ambition to integrate blockchain technology into its traditional gaming ventures.
Additionally, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has reaffirmed the government's commitment to supporting web3 startups, NFT games, and AI, expressing optimism about blockchain technology's potential across various sectors.
SBI Holdings' fund announcement aligns with Prime Minister Kishida's vision, fostering positive confidence in Japan's commitment to web3.
The government aims to increase startup investment from ¥800 billion in 2022 to an impressive ¥10 trillion (approximately $66 billion USD) by 2027, highlighting Japan's strong commitment to driving the development of web3 startups in general and the blockchain industry in particular.
