Hashed Ventures Secures Strategic Investment from SMBC Nikko Securities for Web3 Expansion in Japan

Hashed Ventures, a global blockchain venture capital firm, has secured a strategic investment from SMBC Nikko Securities, a core subsidiary of Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group. This marks a significant step in fostering collaboration between Japan's traditional financial industry and the Web3 sector. Hashed has invested in numerous decentralized projects and supports its portfolio companies in building global networks and scaling their businesses. SMBC Nikko plans to leverage Hashed's global network and expertise to explore business opportunities in the Web3 and digital asset space.

Seoul, South Korea, June 8, 2025, Chainwire — Global blockchain venture capital firm Hashed Ventures has secured a strategic investment from SMBC Nikko Securities, a core subsidiary of Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group. This investment, made through Nikko Open Innovation Lab (NOIL), marks a significant step in fostering collaboration between Japan's traditional financial industry and the Web3 sector [1].

The investment reflects SMBC Nikko's growing interest in the Web3 and blockchain domains. Notably, Funder Storm, the team within NOIL spearheading Web3 initiatives, led the Proof of Japan Inc., which aims to combine Japanese cultural heritage with global NFT initiatives. Funder Storm is also active in education and rulemaking to prepare an environment for the Web3 industry in Japan [2].

Hashed, established in 2017, is a web3 venture capital firm with a global presence in Seoul, San Francisco, Singapore, Bengaluru, and Abu Dhabi. The firm has invested in numerous innovative decentralized projects such as Ethena, Worldcoin, Aptos, and Story. Beyond investment, Hashed actively supports its portfolio companies in building global networks and scaling their businesses [3].

This partnership allows SMBC Nikko to leverage Hashed's global network and expertise to explore business opportunities in the Web3 and digital asset space. Simon Kim, CEO of Hashed, commented, "This partnership with SMBC Nikko Securities marks an important milestone in bridging the gap between Japan’s traditional financial industry and the Web3 sector. We find it deeply meaningful that a leading financial institution in Japan resonates with Hashed’s philosophy and vision. Through this collaboration, we aim to further accelerate the growth of the Web3 ecosystem across Asia" [1].

Ayumu Goto, Head of Planning Unit and Head of Finance of SMBC Nikko, commented, "Blockchain-based Web3 is gaining significant attention as the next-generation infrastructure that can fundamentally change existing financial and economic systems. It crosses borders and cultures, creating new ways for a flow of value and decisions to be made. This investment is a concrete step in our strategic vision for the Web3 space and shows our strong commitment to this area. We will continue to explore new ways of finance and act as a bridge between innovative technologies and capital markets" [1].

Hashed has been actively seeking investment opportunities within Japan’s startup ecosystem. Notably, last year, it co-hosted Blockchain Leaders Summit Tokyo 2024 in collaboration with its venture capital partner B Dash Ventures, marking a significant step toward building a robust Web3 ecosystem in Japan [3].

References:
[1] https://www.theblock.co/press-releases/357276/hashed-ventures-secures-first-strategic-investment-in-japan-from-smbc-nikko-securities
[2] https://www.eblockmedia.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=21081
[3] https://asiatechdaily.com/japans-smbc-nikko-invests-in-hashed-ventures-web3-fund-iii/