Onigiri Capital Partners with Stellar: Driving Blockchain Innovation in Asia and Latin America
Onigiri Capital’s Stellar Partnership: A $50M Boost for Emerging Markets
Onigiri Capital, the $50 million blockchain investment fund launched by Japan’s Credit Saison in September 2025, has partnered with the Stellar Development Foundation (SDF) to accelerate innovation in Latin America and Asia. This collaboration channels funding and development resources to startups building on Stellar ($XLM), focusing on real-world assets (RWAs), DeFi, and cross-border payments. As Saison Capital’s venture arm, Onigiri positions itself as a bridge between U.S. innovation and Asian markets, with a $35 million initial close from internal and external investors. For crypto newcomers, this means more apps for tokenized bonds or instant remittances in high-growth regions. As Onigiri’s Qin En Looi stated, “Asia’s role in blockchain finance is growing exponentially, this partnership unlocks it for Stellar’s ecosystem.”
Why Asia and Latin America? Untapped Potential for Blockchain Growth
Asia and Latin America are hotspots for financial inclusion. Asia’s remittance market exceeds $300 billion yearly. Latin America’s? $150 billion. Both suffer from high fees and delays. Stellar’s network settles in 5 seconds for $0.00001, ideal for these corridors. Onigiri’s funding targets startups addressing this. For instance, in Asia, AEON’s 20M+ stores accept $XLM and USDC. Velo enables 5-second EU-Asia FX. In Latin America, Mercado Bitcoin tokenized $200M RWAs on Stellar in September 2025. As Looi emphasized, “U.S. startups lack Asia’s regulatory and banking ties, we provide that.” Thus, the partnership fosters regional ecosystems. Startups gain capital. Users get practical tools.
Funding and Development: RWAs, DeFi, and Payments in Focus
The alliance emphasizes three pillars. RWAs lead. Stellar hosts $639M in tokenized assets. Treasuries hold 94.8% share. BENJI fund? $849M AUM. Onigiri funds similar pilots. DeFi follows. TVL reached $144M in Q3 2025. Up 71% QoQ. Tools like Blend and Soroswap expand. Cross-border payments? $5.4B quarterly volume. Up 27% QoQ. As Messari reports, Stellar processed billions. Onigiri’s $50M cap, with room for more, backs early-stage builders. For example, Centrifuge’s deRWA launched with $20M on Stellar. It offers yields without banks. Additionally, it supports LatAm and Asia pilots. Developers innovate. Ecosystems thrive.
The Ripple Effect: Adoption, Liquidity, and $XLM’s Rise
This drives blockchain adoption. LatAm unbanked? 50% of adults. Asia? 1.7 billion globally. Stellar connects them. Onigiri’s backing adds credibility. Institutional inflows grow. RWAs hit $24B on-chain. Stellar’s share? 2.7%. Growth? 380% in three years. As a result, $XLM surged 128% in Q3 to $0.24. Up 97% YTD. Fees in Lumens boost demand. For users, remittances cost less. DeFi yields compound. Platforms like Lumexo trade $XLM easily. Low fees apply. Hence, retail and institutions join. Startups scale.
Stellar’s Global Vision: Innovation Without Borders
In short, Onigiri’s partnership with Stellar isn’t isolated. It’s a catalyst for LatAm and Asia. RWAs, DeFi, and payments get funded. Adoption follows. As Q4 2025 pilots launch, ecosystems bloom. Blockchain is accessible. Stellar leads.