A new law effective Monday enables firms to borrow using their entire enterprise value, including know-how, customer relationships, and future cash flows, as collateral, with rights recorded in a public registry, Nikkei Asia reported on Friday.
Mizuho Financial's (TYO:8411) Mizuho Bank will soon issue the first loan to a pub chain operator, while Sumitomo Mitsui Financial's (TYO:8316) Sumitomo Mitsui Banking is educating its staff on managing collateral rights to prepare for such financing, the publication said.
MUFG Bank (TYO:8306) also plans to enter the market, while regional institutions like Saikyo Bank, Shoko Chukin Bank, North Pacific Bank(TYO:8524), and Suwa Shinkin Bank will offer similar loans to local startups, the news agency said.
In case of default, lenders can recover funds by selling the business, with the overall program designed to stimulate startup growth by leveraging technology and growth potential rather than physical assets, the report said.
(Market Chatter news is derived from conversations with market professionals globally. This information is believed to be from reliable sources but may include rumor and speculation. Accuracy is not guaranteed.)