Celebrating Financial Innovation: The JFIA 2026 Award Winners Announced

JFIA 2026 Award Winners Announced

The Japan Financial Innovation Award (JFIA) is back for its seventh installment, celebrating outstanding contributions to the field of finance. Co-organized by FINOLAB and the FINOVATORS association, this award aims to recognize creative endeavors in fintech, spanning startups, financial institutions, and collaborative projects. The event shines a light on innovative practices and encourages information sharing among industry players.

This year, the JFIA received an overwhelming response, identifying over 300 innovative finance projects from 2025. Each entry is meticulously evaluated based on criteria covering originality, growth potential, and transformative capabilities within the finance sector. Among the notable initiatives, the winners across three categories—Startups, Financial Institutions, and Collaborations—demonstrated unique contributions to the advancement of fintech in Japan.

Key Award Categories and Winners

Startup Category

1. Trinity Technology, Inc.
- Project: Lifetime support for elderly individuals titled 'Ohisapo,' in partnership with 20 banks nationwide.
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2. Recept, Inc.
- Project: Announcement of 'Proovy’ Bank VC service.
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3. Digital Wallet, Inc.
- Project: Launch of the overseas remittance service ‘TAX REFUND JAPAN,’ tailored to recent changes in the duty-free system for inbound travelers.
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4. BANKEY, Inc.
- Project: Official launch of ‘Pay By Bank,’ a cashless payment system that allows direct payments from bank accounts.
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5. Wise Payments Japan, Inc.
- Project: First financial transfer company in Japan to connect to the Entire Bank System through API integration, commencing current account transactions with the Bank of Japan.
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Financial Institution Category

1. Japanese General Association of Non-Life Insurance
- Project: Implementation of a joint industry system in compulsory automobile liability insurance called ‘One-JIBAI.’
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2. Seven Bank, Inc.
- Project: Introducing ‘FACE CASH,’ a biometric identification cash deposit and withdrawal service for everyday use.
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3. Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation
- Project: Launching a digital comprehensive financial service for corporations named ‘Trunk’ starting May 2025.
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4. Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Bank, Ltd.
- Project: Launch of ‘Shareholder Passport’ service to assist communication between listed companies and individual shareholders via DX.
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5. Alterna Trust, Inc.
- Project: Established a new company focusing on digital securities, enhancing funding for asset owners through AI-driven securitization.
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Collaboration Category

1. Dwilar, Inc. / Seven Bank, Inc.
- Project: Collaborative project to innovate living infrastructure for foreign nationals using cross-border financing in 42 countries.
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2. GMO Aozora Net Bank / Ikeda Senshu Holdings
- Project: Advanced initiative titled ‘BaaS by GMO Aozora,’ offering banking services to banks through BaaS.
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3. Charichari, Inc. / Mitsubishi UFJ Trust and Banking Corporation / Music Securities, Inc. / Impact Circle, Inc.
- Project: Launching Japan’s first personal financial product secured by shared bicycles for solving regional issues.
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4. SBI Securities / Shinsei Trust Bank / Tokio Marine Asset Management / BOOSTRY, Inc.
- Project: Development of a private equity fund investment product for individual investors utilizing blockchain technology.
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5. UI Bank / Kansai Electric Power
- Project: Introduction of a new banking service named ‘CQ BANK’ in collaboration with Kansai Electric Power.
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Upcoming Ceremony

The winners will be formally announced at the award ceremony during the ‘Future Frontier Fes by FINOLAB’ taking place from February 24 to March 6, 2026, coinciding with the Japan Fintech Week. This event aims to showcase Japan's fintech charm to the world and create more opportunities for business development in the sector. While the ceremony will be limited to invited guests, online viewing will be available on the FINOLAB channel, allowing a global audience to partake in this celebration of innovation.