Behind Securitize’s Listing: Global Brain’s Journey with the Company and Commitment to “Go Global”

Securitize, Inc. (Securitize), a US company providing a platform for tokenizing Real World Assets (RWAs), went public on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) on July 2, 2026.

Global Brain (GB), a leading independent venture capital firm (VC firm) in Japan, has repeatedly invested in Securitize since 2018, shortly after the company was founded. GB’s joint venture (JV) was integrated into Securitize’s business, which led to partnering with Securitize and providing various assistance beyond funding, such as supporting its entry into the Japanese market.

How did Securitize successfully achieve its listing? And how was GB involved in that effort? We asked GB’s Founder & CEO Yasuhiko Yurimoto, who has supported Securitize for eight years since GB’s initial investment in the company back in 2018, and San Francisco-based venture capitalist Shohei Ichimiya, who has directly supported the company in the US, about their journey leading to the listing.

Meeting a CEO of true character in New York

──Congratulations on Securitize’s listing on the NYSE. Let me start by asking how you first met Securitize.

Ichimiya: It goes back to 2018. A mutual acquaintance introduced me to Securitize CEO Carlos Domingo at a conference in New York. Although Securitize had been founded in the US just a year earlier in 2017, I was impressed by the traction they were already gaining and found their vision for the company very compelling.

Back then, the speculative aspect of crypto assets was often featured, but Carlos envisioned a completely different future, where the blockchain technology would revolutionize all kinds of asset-trading infrastructure while maintaining strict regulatory compliance.

I believe the blockchain market is still developing today, but at that time it was in its even earlier phases. In such a market environment, Securitize managed to gather customers and partners who resonated with the company’s vision early on, and I remember being impressed by their high level of execution.

Yurimoto: When I first learned Securitize’s vision, I saw huge potential. Carlos is also a person of true character and has an incredible drive for growth. Beyond the business itself, I was captivated by his charisma as a CEO, and that is why GB decided to back Securitize. After that in November 2018, we invested in Securitize through our GB6 flagship fund. In this funding round, we co-invested with prominent, top-tier global Web3 investors, including Blockchain Capital and Coinbase Ventures.

Securitize’s growth through collaborations with Japanese CVCs

──Could you tell us about GB’s post-investment involvement with Securitize?

Yurimoto: We have provided hands-on support particularly for Securitize’s entry into the Japanese market. While Securitize’s technological and execution capabilities were outstanding, entering Japan alone, hiring talent, and navigating administrative procedures was a monumental challenge for them. The complexity of Japanese business practices also presented a significant hurdle.

So, we decided to support Securitize by leveraging our unique strengths: our network of large Japanese corporations and our expertise in business development.

──What specific approach did you take?

Yurimoto: We first helped foster collaborations with the CVCs jointly established by large Japanese corporations and GB. In 2019, we invested in Securitize through the 31VENTURES I fund established with Mitsui Fudosan Co., Ltd. and KOIF III fund established with KDDI Corporation (KDDI). In 2020, we invested in the company through the SFV·GB fund established with Sony Financial Ventures Inc. As Japan was a significant market for Securitize, we actively supported the company, believing that we can particularly deliver value through helping them strengthen partnerships with large Japanese corporations.

Ichimiya: Collaborating with large Japanese corporations presented its share of challenges, particularly due to differences in regulations and business practices. However, Securitize made steady progress in capturing the Japanese market, focusing on large corporations. Today, the results of these efforts are visible through their initiatives with partners such as KDDI, Sony Bank Incorporated, and Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Bank, Limited.

Yurimoto: While Securitize has achieved remarkable growth today, the journey was not always smooth. During those challenging times, Ichimiya provided incredibly dedicated support as our US-based venture capitalist. He never gives up. No matter the situation of the portfolio company, he maintains close communication and cares deeply about the founders. He holds one of the highest portfolio exit rates among GB’s venture capitalists, and I believe his meticulous communication with founders is a direct reflection of that track record.

GB’s unique support driving market entry into Japan

Yurimoto: There is another unique feature about our support for Securitize. Almost at the same time as our investment in Securitize, we were building an ecosystem to integrate blockchains into Japanese society. As part of this effort, in fall 2018, we established the JV called BUIDL, Ltd. (BUIDL) with Jun Hasegawa, founder of Omise Holdings Pte. Ltd. (now OPN Holdings Co,. Ltd.), an online payment solution pioneer.

While interest in blockchain was rapidly growing in Japan back then, we frequently heard from large corporations struggling to identify practical business applications or the right partners for collaboration. This revealed a significant gap between cutting-edge technology and genuine market needs. We launched BUIDL to fill this gap and foster an ecosystem where Japanese corporations can fully leverage the benefits of blockchain technology.

Ichimiya: BUIDL was established to support both Japanese and overseas companies in entering the blockchain sector. In fact, within just one year of its founding, BUIDL had grown into an industry leader, having launched 15 consulting and proof-of-concept projects with large corporations such as Tokio Marine & Nichido Fire Insurance Co., Ltd. and The Kansai Electric Power Company, Incorporated. Subsequently, BUIDL formed a capital and business alliance with Securitize and came under the umbrella of the company.

──What led Securitize to choose integration with BUIDL?

Ichimiya: Carlos placed great emphasis on full-fledged market entry into Japan at the time, stating Japan being the world’s third-largest economy (as of 2018) and an early adopter of blockchain technology, with its regulatory environment for digital securities maturing. It was primarily because Japan, as one of the world’s financial hubs, was a critical market for both Securitize and for us at GB as we supported them.

Yurimoto: As I mentioned earlier, it is not easy for overseas startups to enter the Japanese market alone. So, we determined that BUIDL would be the best partner for Securitize because BUIDL had already built a customer base with large Japanese corporations in the blockchain sector, with a strong presence in the market.

──Bringing a JV launched by a VC firm under the umbrella of a portfolio company is a rare move.

Yurimoto: Definitely, I believe our support approach was a real game-changer.

Since BUIDL was GB’s business, we obviously could not just sell it to anyone. The decision was made after confirming that the integration would serve the best interests of the investors by fulfilling our fiduciary duty to fund investors (LPs) and ensuring strict governance procedures and conflict of interest management.

We were able to make such a major decision because of the strong relationship of trust with Carlos. We could have considered a lighter form of collaboration, such as having BUIDL act as a distributor in Japan for Securitize, but we chose the deepest possible integration. That level of collaboration was only possible because of our strong mutual trust.

Upon the integration, I discussed our management philosophies closely with Carlos, and our views were perfectly aligned. Because of that, the integration proceeded relatively smoothly, even for such a major strategic decision.

Afterward, GB supported Securitize’s hiring activities in Japan, including accounting, sales, and engineering staff. I also clearly remember supporting and working side-by-side with them besides hiring as they navigated collaborations with CVCs and mega-banks.

Ichimiya: After the integration, BUIDL changed its name to Securitize Japan K.K. in April 2020. This solidified Securitize’s commitment to the Japanese market and significantly accelerated their market development efforts in the region. The impact of the integration truly exceeded our expectations.

The day we celebrated with Carlos

──Could you share any particularly memorable moments or joyful episodes you experienced while supporting Securitize?

Yurimoto: I vividly remember when Carlos took the stage at our annual conference, Global Brain Alliance Forum (GBAF), to announce the integration with BUIDL. At the time, Securitize was in a phase before a rapid expansion, and it was their grand debut to the corporate attendees. It was definitely a symbolic moment GB, BUIDL, and Securitize announced that they were going to work together from that point forward. Carlos even gave a speech in Japanese, which I am sure clearly conveyed to the audience how serious he was about tackling the Japanese market.

Ichimiya: A particularly memorable moment for me was in 2024, when the partnership between the major asset management firm BlackRock and Securitize became a reality. With this, BlackRock launched a tokenized fund using Securitize’s platform. This signified that a traditional financial institution recognized the potential of Securitize’s platform as next-generation financial infrastructure, significantly accelerating the tokenization of RWAs. As Securitize reached this inflection point, we shared the joy of this milestone with Carlos.

Yurimoto: By the way, the name of the tokenized fund is BlackRock USD Institutional Digital Liquidity Fund, and it is abbreviated as BUIDL. It is incredibly rewarding to see the name BUIDL live on in a fund that became such a major turning point for blockchain.

Ichimiya: I attended the listing ceremony at the NYSE on July 6 (local time), and it was a deeply moving moment. Being able to be part of a process where a startup breaks down global barriers and makes its mark on history is truly the ultimate fulfillment as a venture capitalist.

The reason behind driving “Go Global”

──Lastly, could you share GB’s future outlook following Securitize’s listing?

Ichimiya: I am incredibly proud to have witnessed the ultimate exit with Securitize’s listing on the NYSE. As a venture capitalist, I look forward to continuing to work alongside companies like Securitize and founders like Carlos.

Yurimoto: We are more than just a provider of risk capital. We aim to serve as a bridge connecting the Japanese and global startup ecosystems.

As seen in our support for Securitize, we are committed to providing comprehensive support for high-growth overseas companies entering the Japanese market, along with connecting Japanese startups with overseas high-growth companies to leverage mutual strengths and facilitate global expansion. We are planning to strengthen these “Go Global” initiatives (helping startups get ready to take off on a global scale) going forward.

A key foundation for this is our strategic partnership with Techstars, a leading global accelerator, announced in March this year.

Through this partnership, Techstars portfolio companies—especially those looking to expand into Japan—can leverage GB’s extensive network of large corporations and business development support. We will also provide Japanese founders with exclusive access to high-growth global startups within the Techstars network.

The reason GB focuses so heavily on connecting Japan with the rest of the world is that we have seen firsthand the struggles faced by Japanese startups when trying to expand out of Japan and those faced by overseas startups when trying to enter Japan. While bridging Japanese and overseas startup ecosystems is challenging, we are more than happy to help as many startups as possible get ready to take off on a global scale.

Moving forward, we will remain dedicated to the goal of helping startups get ready to take off on a global scale, working as a united team alongside the founders who are transforming the world.

Note: Affiliations, titles, and figures are as of the time of coverage.
(Edited by GB’s Brand Communication Team)