#Japan #Tokyo #SBI Securities #SBI Holdings #ispace

SBI Securities Wins Recognition at DEALWATCH AWARDS 2025

SBI Securities, headquartered in Minato, Tokyo and led by President Masato Takamura, recently celebrated a significant achievement at the "DEALWATCH AWARDS 2025." Organized by the London Stock Exchange Group's DealWatch, the ceremony awarded three prestigious titles to transactions where SBI Securities acted as lead underwriter in both equity and bond categories.

In the equity category, ispace, for which SBI Securities was the lead underwriter, received the accolade for "Equity Deal of the Year" due to their successful public offering aimed at funding growth within the emerging space industry. The award recognized ispace's ability to secure substantial capital in a market with few successful public offerings from companies operating at a loss after their IPOs.

Additionally, SBI Securities played a collaborative role in the re-listing of SBI Shinsei Bank, which was honored with the "IPO of the Year" award. This remarkable achievement came shortly after the bank's delisting in 2023 and subsequent repayment of public funds, highlighting the bank's rapid growth under SBI Holdings and its attractiveness as a next-generation financial entity. The total amount raised during the IPO hit a staggering 370.1 billion yen, with the bank's stock maintaining a strong performance post-listing.

In the bond category, SBI Holdings was awarded "Bond Issuer of the Year" for their innovative approach to debt issuance, which included simultaneous buybacks of existing bonds and new issuances to streamline the repayment schedule. This pioneering strategy set a precedent in the Japanese market and addressed liquidity challenges with retail-targeted security token offerings.

The DEALWATCH AWARDS, founded in 1995, aim to foster and expand Japan-related capital markets. The awards assess various parameters, including proper pricing on issuing markets, price formation post-transition to trading markets, contributions to the development of capital markets, and overall innovation.

The 2025 version of the DEALWATCH AWARDS comprises six categories: Overall, Bonds, Local Bonds, Cross-Border Bonds, Sustainable Finance, and Equities.

SBI Securities is committed to continuing its mission aligned with the SBI Group's principle of customer-centricity, addressing diverse funding needs of issuers while also providing appealing investment opportunities for retail and institutional investors. This commitment aims to further bolster the development of Japan’s capital markets.

Commentary on the Awards

Equity Deal of the Year: ispace
Lead Underwriter: SBI Securities
Despite the scarcity of successful public offerings from loss-making companies, ispace managed to attract significant growth capital, leveraging interest in the space industry. Their innovative approach included issuing third-party allocations to synergistic firms, helping stabilize their share price.

IPO of the Year: SBI Shinsei Bank
Lead Underwriters: Nomura Securities, SBI Securities, Mizuho Securities, Goldman Sachs, SMBC Nikko, BofA Securities
Following an unusual quick re-listing after its delisting in 2023 and public fund repayment, SBI Shinsei Bank captured market attention with its rapid growth and appeal as a next-gen financial brand, successfully executing a massive 370.1 billion yen IPO with resilient post-listing stock performance.

Bond Issuer of the Year: SBI Holdings
Lead Underwriter: SBI Securities
By simultaneously executing buybacks of existing bonds and issuing new ones, SBI Holdings implemented Japan's first domestic scheme to balance a repayment ladder, creating an innovative financing approach that addressed liquidity issues in retail-targeted security token bonds.