Nomura Holdings and Circle agreed to collaborate on exploring the use of stablecoins for corporate payments and capital markets transactions in Japan and other markets.
Nomura Holdings, a Japanese financial services group, signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Circle Internet Financial, the issuer of USDC, one of the world’s largest stablecoins. The agreement covers the joint development of digital finance solutions. The companies will focus on building infrastructure that enables financial transactions directly on blockchain networks, including payments using stablecoins.
One of the partnership’s key priorities will be evaluating the use of stablecoins backed by fiat currencies and other assets for instant corporate payments. The companies also plan to explore blockchain infrastructure for collateral management, fund transfers, settlement, and capital markets transactions.
As part of the partnership, Circle will contribute its expertise in stablecoins and blockchain infrastructure, while Nomura will provide its experience in global financial markets. The companies also plan to develop trust and collateral management functions needed to support the large-scale adoption of blockchain-based financial infrastructure.
A recent Nomura survey found that about 79% of institutional investors in Japan planned to invest in crypto assets. The company also said it sees strong demand for tokenized financial products, has been actively testing blockchain initiatives, and is preparing to launch crypto investment trusts once Japan approves the regulatory framework for these instruments.
