GFTN Capital has unveiled a partnership with SBI Holdings and SBI Ven Capital to debut a $200 million global innovation fund. The vehicle will target growth-stage fintech companies building with artificial intelligence, digital assets, cybersecurity, and tokenization technologies. Headquartered in Singapore, the firm positions the fund as a bridge between emerging innovators and established financial institutions across major markets.
Partnership Scope and Strategy
The collaboration intends to pair GFTN Capital’s market network with SBI’s investing experience to source, underwrite, and scale category-defining fintechs. Portfolio support will include strategic capital, market intelligence, and access to policymakers and enterprise customers within GFTN’s ecosystem. The partners emphasize responsible growth, impact alignment, and governance discipline as core elements of the investment playbook.
Global Pipeline Access
GFTN Capital taps a community of entrepreneurs, investors, and regulators that it says spans more than 130 countries. That footprint is expected to widen the pipeline beyond typical hubs to capture opportunities in Southeast Asia, South Asia, the Middle East and Africa, Europe, and other regions. The firm says this access can shorten diligence timelines, de-risk cross-border expansion, and connect founders with compliant distribution channels.
Investor and Operator Commentary
Neil Parekh, Deputy Chairman at GFTN, framed the alliance as a route to “returns with purpose” and to connecting visionary founders with digital economy institutions. He pointed to SBI’s track record in digital finance as validation for the fund’s thesis and operating approach. The message underscores a joint intent to blend commercial performance with industry-level modernization.
SBI’s Strategic Contribution
SBI Holdings called the partnership a catalyst for scaling high-potential fintechs and unlocking opportunities in advancing the global financial industry. Nobuyuki Kawabata, Executive Vice President and Director at SBI Investment, highlighted the group’s investing depth combined with GFTN’s network breadth. The company expects the fund to help build a more connected and resilient financial ecosystem through targeted capital and collaboration.
Mission Alignment and Governance
Sopnendu Mohanty, Group CEO of GFTN, described the model as a responsible collaboration embedded in a multi-stakeholder framework. The aim is to align capital with innovation and purpose while reinforcing trust, inclusion, and sustainable growth. He said the partnership showcases how institutions, founders, and investors can operate transparently to advance the future of finance.
Track Record and Platform
GFTN was established by the Monetary Authority of Singapore as a not-for-profit initiative and now operates commercial subsidiaries, including GFTN Services and GFTN Capital. Through forums under GFTN Connect and advisory efforts via GFTN Solutions, the organization convenes leaders from more than 150 countries and supports technology, policy, and capacity building. This platform is designed to feed the fund with insights, regulatory context, and enterprise-grade relationships.
SBI Group Background
Founded in 1999, SBI Group is an internet-native financial conglomerate spanning securities, banking, and insurance, paired with asset management, private equity, crypto assets, and next-generation businesses. The group has invested in globally recognized distributed ledger companies such as Ripple and R3 and manages more than one trillion yen in assets as of September 2025. Its Singapore subsidiary, SBI Ven Capital, is authorized by the Monetary Authority of Singapore and manages approximately $353 million, focused on Southeast and South Asia.
Market Context and Timing
Fintech remains a large market with uneven capital access across regions, especially for companies scaling regulated, infrastructure-level products. The fund’s focus on AI, cybersecurity, tokenization, and digital assets targets areas undergoing rapid enterprise adoption and regulatory maturation. The partners contend that disciplined growth equity, connected to a policy-aware network, can compress go-to-market cycles and elevate risk management.
With $200 million earmarked for growth-stage fintech, GFTN Capital and SBI aim to combine network reach, domain expertise, and policy engagement in one platform. The partnership sets out to back builders of mission-critical financial technology while anchoring governance, inclusion, and cross-border scalability. If executed as outlined, the fund could become an influential conduit for responsible innovation in the global financial stack.