Anderson Mori & Tomotsune provides comprehensive legal services in fintech matters, including those related to financial regulation, intellectual property rights, information security, and venture capital. The department is particularly strong on work with blockchain and digital assets, such as cryptocyrrencies, security tokens, and NFTs. The team is co-led by Ken Kawai, whose clients include financial institutions, fintech companies, and corporates; Kei Sasaki, who specialises in financing and transactional matters; and Kunihiko Morishita, who handles asset management issues. Also key are Shunsuke Aoki and Takeshi Nagase.

Atsumi & Sakai, a ‘top leader in this area‘, supports a wide range of fintech industry groups and govenmental agencies active within the domestic market, with expertise across banking, securities, payment services, and data privacy. The department is also active assisting overseas fintech clients with their entry into Japan, assisting in consultations with governmental authorities and advising on the Regulatory Sandbox Scheme. Team lead Yuri Suzuki has over 20 years’ experience in the practice area, and has expertise in a wide range of financing matters, including syndicated loans, trade finance, and securitisation. Within the fintech space, Suzuki handles payments, wealth management, crowdfunding and crypto-assets. Takafumi Ochiai is another core team member, and is recognised for his expertise in blockchain technology.

Mori Hamada & Matsumoto has considerable expertise across technology, financial services regulatory law and intellectual property, and brings this to a range of high profile domestic and international clients, including traditional players, disruptors, collaborators and start-ups. The team contains multiple practitioners with prior experience working within regulatory and governmental bodies and as such boasts strong relationships with and insights into these organisations. Co-leading the department are Masakazu Masujima, whose practice includes crypto-assets, crowdfunding and insurtech, Takane Hori, who handles data protection and cybersecurity, and Atsushi Okada, whose broad expertise includes payment services, cybersecurity and data protection. Kei Furuichi  has left the firm.

Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu‘s fintech team draws experienced practitioners from a number of practice fields, including financial regulations, corporate, technology and antitrust. The department benefits from this flexibility in its work assisting clients with a broad range of matters, including blockchain techology, AI, Robotics Process Automation, and biometric authentication technology. Soichiro Fujiwara and Taku Umezawa co-lead the team, with Fujiwara bringing expertise in M&A and general corporate matters, while Umezawa handles financial regulations and compliance. Keiji Tonomura has a practice which covers M&A, intellectual property, and IT transactions.

Nishimura & Asahi brings significant regulatory and financial experience to the fintech sector, advising banks, securities firms, financial institutions, and start-up ventures. The department covers a range of issues, including payment services, crypto-assets, and financial transactions, servicing both domestic and international clients. Department head Naoya Ariyoshi is particlarly active on crypto-assets, and has expertise in financial regulations. Susumu Tanizawa covers international financial regulations and financial transactions related to fintech. Also key within the team are Akihiro Shiba, who has expertise in security tokens, NFTs, and app-based stock trading, and newly promoted partner Toshiyuki Yamamoto, who advises on digital securities.

TMI Associates offers fintech clients a diverse collection of services, focused and directed by the professional service organisation, TMI FinTech desk. Crypto-assets are a particular area of focus for the department, with experience across cryptocurrencies, NFTs, and other blockchain technologies. The team is co-led by Haruo Narimoto, who splits time between Singapore and Tokyo, alongside Makiko Yamamoto, Arito Ogoshi and Takatsugu Kitajima. Kaori Noguchi is also key.