Key Takeaways
- • SBI Group (Japan), Sygnum Bank (Switzerland), and Azimut Group (Italy) have jointly established a $75 million venture capital fund incorporated as a Singapore-based Variable Capital Company to invest in early-stage digital asset startups.
- • The fund targets pre-Series A and Series A stage companies across Europe and Southeast Asia, with primary focus on distributed ledger technology (DLT) infrastructure, decentralized finance (DeFi), and regulatory technology (RegTech) solutions.
- • SBI Ven Capital will serve as the fund's primary manager, leveraging the collective digital asset expertise and financial services credentials of the three founding partners to capitalize on crypto venture capital inflows representing approximately 6% of global VC funding year-to-date.
- • The initiative positions the three institutions to capture growth opportunities in a sector projected to store and transact up to 10% of global GDP using DLT infrastructure by 2027, while simultaneously addressing anticipated increases in RegTech demand as regulatory oversight intensifies.
Summary
SBI Group, Sygnum Bank, and Azimut Group have announced the formation of a $75 million venture capital fund structured as a Singapore-based Variable Capital Company, combining the capital and expertise of three major financial services firms to accelerate investment in the digital asset sector. The fund represents a strategic collaboration between Japan's largest fintech conglomerate, a Swiss digital asset banking specialist, and one of Europe's leading asset managers, each bringing substantial experience in blockchain technology and financial services innovation.
The fund will concentrate investment capital on pre-Series A and Series A stage companies developing foundational blockchain infrastructure, decentralized finance protocols, and regulatory technology tools across Europe and Southeast Asia. SBI Ven Capital, the venture capital arm of SBI Group, has been appointed as the fund's primary manager. This strategic focus aligns with industry momentum, as cryptocurrency and blockchain firms captured approximately 6% of all global venture capital funding in the year-to-date period, representing meaningful growth trajectory within the broader VC landscape.
The timing of this fund launch reflects broader confidence in digital asset sector maturity and regulatory acceptance. Market projections suggest that up to 10% of global gross domestic product could be stored and transacted using distributed ledger technology infrastructure by 2027, according to World Economic Forum figures cited by the fund's sponsors. Additionally, RegTech demand from digital asset service providers and their clients is expected to accelerate as global regulators implement stricter oversight frameworks—positioning regulatory technology solutions as a particularly compelling investment category within the fund's mandate.
SBI Group, through affiliate SBI Digital Asset Holdings, has been systematically expanding its crypto and blockchain exposure. SBI founder and CEO Yoshitaka Kitao has publicly stated the company's intention to develop its crypto joint venture into a major revenue driver, reflected in ongoing partnerships with exchanges and financial institutions seeking exposure to global digital asset markets. This new fund represents a significant institutional commitment to channeling capital into the early-stage companies building the infrastructure, financial solutions, and compliance tools essential to mainstream digital asset adoption across major global markets.
The fund will concentrate investment capital on pre-Series A and Series A stage companies developing foundational blockchain infrastructure, decentralized finance protocols, and regulatory technology tools across Europe and Southeast Asia. SBI Ven Capital, the venture capital arm of SBI Group, has been appointed as the fund's primary manager. This strategic focus aligns with industry momentum, as cryptocurrency and blockchain firms captured approximately 6% of all global venture capital funding in the year-to-date period, representing meaningful growth trajectory within the broader VC landscape.
The timing of this fund launch reflects broader confidence in digital asset sector maturity and regulatory acceptance. Market projections suggest that up to 10% of global gross domestic product could be stored and transacted using distributed ledger technology infrastructure by 2027, according to World Economic Forum figures cited by the fund's sponsors. Additionally, RegTech demand from digital asset service providers and their clients is expected to accelerate as global regulators implement stricter oversight frameworks—positioning regulatory technology solutions as a particularly compelling investment category within the fund's mandate.
SBI Group, through affiliate SBI Digital Asset Holdings, has been systematically expanding its crypto and blockchain exposure. SBI founder and CEO Yoshitaka Kitao has publicly stated the company's intention to develop its crypto joint venture into a major revenue driver, reflected in ongoing partnerships with exchanges and financial institutions seeking exposure to global digital asset markets. This new fund represents a significant institutional commitment to channeling capital into the early-stage companies building the infrastructure, financial solutions, and compliance tools essential to mainstream digital asset adoption across major global markets.
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