[DigitalToday reporter Jinju Hong (홍진주)] Japanese game developer Gumi will launch a 3 billion yen cryptocurrency investment fund with SBI Financial Services. It plans to invest in bitcoin and major altcoins while pursuing returns through staking and hedging strategies, and to prepare for future changes to Japan's cryptocurrency exchange-traded fund (ETF) system.

On July 30 local time, blockchain media outlet Cointelegraph reported that Gumi said it will manage a cryptocurrency fund investing in bitcoin and major altcoins from Aug. 1.

The fund will be managed by SBI Crypto Fund, jointly established by SBI Financial Services and Gumi subsidiary gC Labs. SBI Financial Services will hold 51 percent and gC Labs 49 percent, and other investors including Daiwa Securities Group also contributed capital.

The investment targets are bitcoin and major altcoins. Rather than simply buying and holding cryptocurrencies, it plans to use staking for additional returns, portfolio rebalancing and hedging strategies to manage risk.

Gumi explained that the purpose of the fund is to connect Japanese corporate capital with the cryptocurrency market. It also said a key goal is to build a performance track record in preparation for the possibility that crypto ETFs, currently banned in Japan, could be allowed in the future.

The fund launch is seen as an extension of Gumi's digital asset business, which it has steadily expanded. The company holds its own cryptocurrencies centered on XRP, and through its subsidiary Hinode Technologies it also runs a cryptocurrency portfolio management service and an investment fund business. Gumi said its digital asset business has grown around XRP.

Its cryptocurrency holdings are also increasing rapidly. Gumi's latest annual report showed its cryptocurrency holdings totaled 14.1 billion yen as of April 30, 2026. That is nearly double the 7.6 billion yen a year earlier. Alongside its game business, digital asset management has started to account for a meaningful share of the company's finances.

The market is focusing on the fact that a Japanese listed company and a major financial company jointly created a cryptocurrency fund. Assessments say it could serve as a channel for corporate capital to enter the cryptocurrency market by expanding investment targets beyond bitcoin to major altcoins and combining staking and hedging strategies.

Future regulatory changes in Japan are also a key variable. Gumi directly mentioned the possibility of allowing crypto ETFs and said it would use the fund to accumulate management experience in preparation for institutional changes. As a result, the fund is expected to be seen as more than a simple investment product and as a testbed for Japanese companies and the financial sector to participate fully in the digital asset market.