JFIA2026en | Japan Financial Innovation Award

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JFIA 2026 Overview

JFIA started from 2020 to promote innovative initiatives in the financial services by adopting information technology and to share best practices in the industry, expecting to further expand open innovation beyond the corporate group and business sector. JFIA2026 consists of 3 categories, including Startup, Financial Institution, and Collaboration. FINOLAB, the FinTech Center of Tokyo, administrated the evaluation process by extracting about 400 innovative initiatives from press releases during the year 2025. Final candidates and winners will be selected by a group of professionals, FINOVATORS, based on the evaluation on innovation, growth, and transformation. Further Judgment is scheduled on Mar. 2 to announce Grand Prix and Category Excellences.

Title

Japan Financial Innovation Award 2026 Ceremony
(at Future Frontier Fes by FINOLAB )

Date and Time

Mar. 2, 2026

Venue

OCA TOKYO【By invitation only】

Host

FINOLAB Inc.

Co-Host

FINOVATORS

Future Frontier Fes by FINOLAB (4F)

“4F” is an annual event for various stakeholders of financial innovation to gather and discuss their future action. There, the JFIA Award Ceremony, FINOPITCH (a pitch contest by domestic and foreign startups) and its award ceremony, various lectures, keynote speeches and panel discussions are held. It started in 2020 with the aim of becoming a participatory festival where stakeholders of innovation can share their experience and information, as opposed to a conventional conference.

4F

JFIA 2026
Grand Prix and Category Excellence

Grand Prix

Japan’s First: Development of a blockchain-based Private Equity fund investment product for individual investors.

SBI SECURITIES Co.,Ltd.
Shinsei Trust & Banking Co., Ltd.
Tokio Marine Asset Management Co., Ltd.
BOOSTRY Co., Ltd.

Remarks :
They were honored for pioneering the first domestic public offering program of security tokens within a Special Beneficial Interest Bearing Trust for private equity investments, marking a significant milestone in Japan’s digital asset market.”

Startup Category Excellence

Wise becomes the first fund transfer service to settlement to Japan’s Zengin System via API; opens current account with Bank of Japan.

Wise Payments Limited

Remarks :
Wise was recognized for becoming the first non-bank funds transfer service provider to connect to the Zengin System, opening up new possibilities in the remittance business.

Financial Institution Category Excellence

Launch of “One-JIBAI,” an industry-wide collaborative system for Compulsory Automobile Liability Insurance.

One-JIBAI

The General Insurance Association of Japan

Collaboration Category Excellence

Local production & consumption of finance: Charichari × MUTB launch Japan’s first retail financial product secured by shared-cycle bicycles.

Charichari Regional Infrastructure Investment Fund

Charichari, Inc.
Mitsubishi UFJ Trust and Banking Corporation
Music Securities, Inc.
Impact Circle, Inc.

Remarks :
The award recognizes the development of a new financial model based on shared cycling services that address regional transportation challenges. This was achieved by leveraging the respective strengths of partner companies to create social and economic value.