Seoul, South Korea, June 6th, 2025, Chainwire
Global blockchain venture capital firm Hashed Ventures (CEO Simon Kim) announced that it has secured a strategic investment from SMBC Nikko Securities, a core securities subsidiary of Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group (SMFG), one of Japan’s three largest financial groups, into its Hashed Venture Fund III. This investment, made through Nikko Open Innovation Lab (NOIL)—the new business development division under SMBC Nikko—marks a significant step forward in fostering collaboration between Japan’s traditional financial industry and the Web3 sector.
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. Through this endeavor, the team anticipates strong synergy by partnering with Hashed, which brings an extensive network within the global Web3 industry.
Hashed has established a global presence with offices in Seoul, San Francisco, Singapore, Bengaluru, and Abu Dhabi, and 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. In 2020 and 2021, Hashed launched funds totaling $120M and $200M respectively, positioning itself as a bridge between the Web3 sector and traditional industries.
SMBC Nikko is one of Japan’s most established financial institutions with over 100 years of history. The firm has recently been proactively exploring business opportunities into the Web3 and digital asset space. Through this partnership with Hashed, it plans to leverage its global network and expertise. In fact, Hashed has already facilitated collaboration between NOIL and global NFT projects to advance the Proof of Japan initiative.
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.”
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.”
Meanwhile, 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.
About SMBC Nikko
SMBC Nikko Securities Inc., founded in 1918, has grown significantly thanks to client and stakeholder support. Since joining SMBC Group in 2009, the company has enhanced its services as a full-line broker, leveraging group capabilities to be a trusted partner. With the rising demand for asset management in Japan, SMBC Nikko is focusing on this area while strengthening global operations, including cross-border M&A and overseas financing. The company aims to connect growth-focused companies with investors, ensuring that capital markets benefit society. Committed to free and fair markets, SMBC Nikko takes pride in innovating for client value with integrity.
About Hashed
Hashed, established in 2017, is a web3 venture capital that focuses on investment and research in global startups and decentralized protocols. Hashed team operates offices in Seoul, San Francisco, Singapore, Bangalore, and Abu Dhabi. Hashed has been the earliest supporter of many pioneering blockchain teams globally. Hashed supports its portfolio companies as a ‘second team,’ helping web3 founders build global mass adoption.
Contact
Wooster
wooster@hashed.com
