Last Christmas, the Osaka Digital Exchange (ODX) launched its START secondary market for security tokens. Currently there are three security tokens for real estate on the exchange. In an earnings report for the quarter ending June, controlling shareholder SBI revealed that START is discussing plans to list digital bonds in the second half. To date the vast majority of security token issuances in Japan have been for real estate, whereas the European market is dominated by bond issuance.
Additionally, it disclosed that another three tokens are likely to list on the exchange in the near term. Apart from SBI, other ODX backers include Daiwa Securities, Nomura, SMBC and the Cboe.
SBI recently announced a planned collaboration with Franklin Templeton for potential future ETF issuances in Japan linked to cryptocurrencies. That’s once the regulator lifts restrictions. The joint venture also plans to offer investment trusts focused on Franklin Templeton ETFs issued outside Japan.
In other digital asset news, SBI’s cryptocurrency exchange subsidiaries SBI VC Trade and BITPoint experienced user growth of a third during the past year and over 10% during the past quarter. These are just two subsidiaries in SBI’s crypto-asset business, with the division posting record quarterly revenues of Yen 18.63 billion ($130 million) and profits of Yen 1.357 billion ($9.5m).
The group is a prolific corporate investor and has consolidated private equity investments totaling Yen 716.6 billion ($5 billion). Blockchain and digital assets make up the third largest investment sector of Yen 130.2 billion ($910 million) after Internet/AI/IoT and Fintech services.
