What happens when alternative finance moves faster than regulation?

On this episode of Couchonomics with Arjun, Professor Robert Wardrop — Co-Founder of the Cambridge Centre for Alternative Finance and RegGenome — breaks down why global regulatory frameworks are struggling to keep up.

Japan is regulated, conservative — and still ahead of the curve in digital assets. In this episode of Couchonomics with Arjun, recorded in Tokyo with the support of GFTN Forum Japan, we sit down with Genki Oda, Managing Executive Director at SBI Holdings and Chairman of the Japan Virtual and Crypto Assets Exchange Association (JVCEA). Genki has played a central role in shaping Japan’s digital asset landscape, and in this candid conversation, he shares sharp insights on where crypto is headed — in Japan and beyond.

Why hasn’t Japan produced more global startup giants? In this special Japan series of Couchonomics with Arjun, recorded in Tokyo and in collaboration with GFTN Forum Japan, Arjun sits down with Jordan Fisher, Venture Partner at Antler and Co-founder of Zehitomo. From the hidden inefficiencies in Japan’s service economy to the deeper structural and cultural barriers that limit growth, this conversation explores what it will take to build a more ambitious, globally competitive startup ecosystem in Japan.