Startale Group has completed a $63 million Series A round as it pushes deeper into blockchain infrastructure, stablecoins, tokenized securities, and consumer-facing onchain services.
Meanwhile, the round included a $50 million second close from SBI Group and a $13 million first close from Sony Innovation Fund, which the company announced in January 2026.
In a Wednesday press release, the company said the new capital will help expand its business model connecting blockchain networks, financial products, and user applications.
Startale plans to use the funds to grow its Ethereum Layer 2 work, support stablecoin issuance, scale tokenized securities infrastructure, and build broader access to digital asset services in Asia.
SBI expands role in Startale’s finance strategy
SBI Group’s $50 million investment deepens an existing relationship between the two companies. That partnership already supports projects tied to tokenized securities, digital settlement, and stablecoins in Japan. Startale said the latest funding will help it move those efforts forward at a faster pace.
The company linked SBI’s new backing to its work on Strium, a Layer 1 blockchain designed for tokenized securities and real-world asset trading.
Startale and SBI have also worked together on JPYSC, which the company described as the first trust bank-backed Japanese yen stablecoin. Startale said these products form part of a wider plan to bring regulated financial services onto blockchain-based rails.
Startale also said the funding will help it create products that can serve SBI’s customer base while opening room for wider market use. SBI has more than 80 million customers across its businesses, giving the partnership a large distribution path if these services move into broader use.
Startale Group Chief Executive Officer Sota Watanabe said, “The close of our $63M Series A reflects the strong conviction our partners have in the vision we are building.” He added, “Through the deep collaboration with SBI, we will accelerate the adoption of tokenized stocks, centered on Japanese equities and JPY stablecoin, this year.”
SBI Group Chairman and President Yoshitaka Kitao also described the investment as a way to speed up digital finance efforts. He said,
“Startale Group possesses extensive expertise in the field of on-chain integration and offers capabilities that complement those of the SBI Group.”
He added that the partnership could help drive broader onchain change in finance.
Startale targets tokenized securities and stablecoin growth
Startale said it will use the Series A proceeds to scale products that already sit at the center of its finance push. That includes Strium, JPYSC, and USDSC, as well as other systems tied to settlement and exchange layers for digital markets. The company framed those services as core parts of its plan for onchain capital markets in Asia.
The focus on tokenized securities comes as more firms explore digital versions of traditional financial assets. Startale has positioned Strium as a network built for institutional use cases such as foreign exchange, tokenized equities, and real-world assets. The company and SBI launched Strium in February 2026 as part of that effort.
Startale said the round will also support the rollout of stablecoin products built for settlement and trading. JPYSC targets yen-based use cases, while USDSC adds a dollar-denominated option to the company’s product mix. These products sit within a broader strategy that aims to connect regulated assets, payment flows, and tokenized finance tools in one stack.
The company’s earlier steps with SBI support that direction. In August 2025, SBI announced partnerships with Startale, Circle, and Ripple tied to stablecoin ventures and a tokenized asset trading platform in Japan.
In December 2025, SBI and Startale also signed a memorandum of understanding to develop a regulated JPY stablecoin through Shinsei Trust & Banking, a wholly owned subsidiary of SBI Shinsei Bank.
Sony link adds entertainment and consumer reach
The $13 million first close from Sony Innovation Fund gave Startale another strategic backer with a different focus. While SBI adds banking and financial reach, Sony brings a route into entertainment, consumer products, and digital experiences. Startale said the completed Series A places it between these two growth areas.
Startale and Sony have already worked together on Soneium, Sony’s Ethereum Layer 2 network. That project gave Startale a role in blockchain infrastructure linked to entertainment and consumer activity. The company now plans to build on that work as it expands user-facing services.
One part of that plan involves the Startale App, which the company wants to upgrade into a SuperApp. Startale said the app will aim to give users one place for payments, asset management, blockchain applications, social features, and access to tokenized assets. The company believes this model can support wider use of onchain services beyond institutional markets.
The consumer layer matters because Startale does not want to rely only on backend finance systems. It wants to connect infrastructure with products that ordinary users can access more directly. That approach gives the company a role on both sides of the market, from regulated settlement tools to apps built for mainstream use.
Moreover, Startale described its business as a vertically integrated blockchain infrastructure model. In practice, that means it does not only build networks.
It also develops stablecoins, tokenized asset systems, and applications that place those services in front of end users and institutions.