Startale Group Named to CB Insights’ 2026 Fintech 100, Recognizing the Most Promising Fintech Startups
Startale Group recognized for advancing blockchain infrastructure and bringing financial markets and real-world assets onchain
CB Insights today named Startale Group to its ninth annual Fintech 100, recognizing the 100 most promising fintech startups in the world for blockchain networks and interoperability.
The 2026 Fintech 100 identifies the startups reshaping how financial services work behind the scenes. This year’s cohort spans payments, lending, wealth, and digital assets, and what unites them is the data behind their selection: strong deal activity, top-tier investors, and partnerships with industry leaders, said Aisha Chandraker, Fintech Analyst at CB Insights.
Sota Watanabe, CEO, Startale Group “We believe the future of finance will be built onchain. The opportunity is not simply to put existing assets on a blockchain, but to fundamentally rethink how value moves, how markets operate, and who can participate. At Startale, we’re building the infrastructure to make that future possible.”
The list spans 21 categories across six sections of the fintech market, from payments and business finance to capital markets and connectivity. CB insights research team picked winning companies based on CB Insights datasets, including deal activity, industry partnerships, team strength, investor strength, employee headcount, and proprietary metrics.
Startale Group is building the infrastructure to bring the next generation of financial markets onchain. Through its work across blockchain infrastructure, tokenization, and digital asset ecosystems, Startale is helping bridge traditional financial institutions and the onchain economy. Startale is also helping establish the foundations for new forms of digital ownership, onchain entertainment and consumer engagement. With a focus on connecting institutional finance and entertainment innovation, Startale aims to make onchain financial and consumer services more accessible, scalable and interoperable.
Quick facts on the 2026 Fintech 100:
- $10.9 billion in equity funding raised over time, including more than $3.2 billion in 2026 to date (as of October 5, 2026).
- 330+ business relationships since 2025, including with industry leaders such as JPMorganChase, Mastercard, and Nasdaq.
- 51 early-stage startups, 13 of which are at the seed stage.
About CB Insights CB Insights spots winners in emerging tech. Since 2009, we've ranked and rated the private companies reshaping their industries, drawing on proprietary interviews with operators and deep, validated intelligence on over 12 million companies. We give decision-makers an edge by enriching their AI agents with expert judgment, nonpublic signals, and a complete map of technology markets. Six of the Mag 7 and the top 10 U.S. banks rely on CB Insights to build conviction in their next investment, acquisition, partner, or customer. Learn more at cbinsights.com.
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About Startale Group
Startale Group is a leading global crypto solutions provider on a mission to build the next civilization by bringing the world onchain. Startale built Soneium, a blockchain infrastructure for tokenized IP, with Sony Group, and is developing Strium, a Layer 1 blockchain for tokenized securities and RWA trading, with SBI Holdings. Startale also drives JPYSC, the first trust bank-backed JPY stablecoin, and powers onchain finance through USDSC, its USD stablecoin. Bringing it all together is the Startale App, The App for More Than Money: a SuperApp that gives users a single place to hold, earn and spend digital assets and navigate the onchain economy on Soneium and more, all in one intuitive experience.