Japanese IT Conglomerate GMO Internet Group Announces Partnership with Shift Markets

NEW YORK, April 20, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- GMO-Z.com Trust Company, Inc. ("GMO Trust"), the New York-based, regulated stablecoin subsidiary of Japanese Internet conglomerate GMO Internet Group ("GMO"), announced a partnership with Shift Markets, one of the leading technology service providers in cryptocurrency and Forex ("FX") markets. The partnership is designed to integrate the world's first regulated Japanese Yen stablecoin, ticker symbol: GYEN, and a USD stablecoin issued by GMO Trust (ticker symbol ZUSD) onto Shift Market's global network of exchanges linked through their liquidity provider, NEXUS.

Unlimited Currency Pair Options

Shift Market's liquidity arm, NEXUS, an Electronic Communication Network ("ECN"), enables GMO Trust's stablecoins to be available to NEXUS' 70+ exchange and buy-side institutional clients. Given Shift Markets' long track record of servicing both digital asset and FX firms, NEXUS has the capability and demand to support a multitude of fiat currency pairs leveraging GYEN and ZUSD. This structure helps to further blend the digital asset space with FX trading markets, accessing a new segment of traders while also providing new capabilities, including hedging, arbitrage, trading and settlement. This partnership becomes particularly relevant as additional use cases develop, especially given the fact that the group operates the largest retail forex broker, GMO CLICK Securities, which consistently has a large FX trading volume globally. In addition, Shift Markets will serve as a preferred institutional lender of the stablecoins on its NEXUS network.

Expanding the Horizons of Digital Fiat

In a global first, GMO Trust has secured a Limited Purpose Trust license, issued by the New York Department of Financial Services (NYDFS) for the distribution of a Yen backed stablecoin. With a digital version of Yen, GMO Trust is providing unprecedented potential for international access to the fiat. As a technical service provider for the industry, Shift Market's infrastructure software provides white-label solutions for trading, payments, brokerage, token issuance and even compliance. Both firms recognize the potential for additional areas of collaboration across a variety of business lines, and are excited by the partnership and the promise of digital fiat.

When asked to describe the synergies of the partnership, Shift Markets CEO, Ian McAfee expressed: "Shift Markets is furthering its mission to drive financial-grade digital assets into the fabric of the digital assets and FX space, with regulated stablecoins attracting tier one financial firms into the markets. GMO's significant presence in both traditional FX and digital asset industries, combined with our network of exchange partners and ability to pair these stablecoins against any major currency, opens up a new realm of possibilities for digital fiat."

"Partnering with an industry leading technology firm like Shift Markets enables GMO Trust to offer a fully-regulated digital version of JPY and USD to  Shift Markets' global network of exchange and institutional partners," said Kurt Bierbower, GMO Trust's SVP of Business Development. "Shift Markets' cryptocurrency and FX clients will find significant value with the capability to trade and settle near instantaneously through blockchain rails as compared to traditional fiat networks."

Please note that due to regulatory restrictions, GYEN and ZUSD will not be offered to Japanese residents.

About GMO Internet Group and GMO Trust

GMO Internet Group, based in Tokyo, is a global market leader in the Internet infrastructure, Internet finance and the digital asset space since its inception in 1991. It operates the world's largest online FX trading platform, an Internet bank, a cryptocurrency exchange, a cryptocurrency mining operation, a payment gateway and a regulated stablecoin.  Parent company GMO Internet, Inc. (TSE: 9449) is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. For more information, please visit https://www.gmo.jp/en/ 

GMO Trust, based in New York, is a Limited Purpose Trust Company, regulated by the New York Department of Financial Services. Issuing the World's First regulated JPY stablecoin "GYEN", GMO Trust also offers a USD stablecoin "ZUSD". GMO Trust is on a mission to bring traditional finance into the digital age with blockchain services. For more information on GMO-Z.com Trust Company, Inc., visit https://stablecoin.z.com. 

About Shift Markets

Shift Markets is committed to building the crypto ecosystem and promoting equality in foreign trade by improving global access to cryptocurrency through use of its technology services and turnkey solutions. Shift Markets runs a proprietary exchange network called NEXUS, which provides connectivity to its 70+ exchange partners. Shift offers a variety of technology services in digital asset markets, including white label cryptocurrency exchanges, payment gateways and tokenization platforms. For more information on Shift Markets, visit https://www.shiftmarkets.com/. 

Press Inquiries
Ryan Graham
JConnelly
TEL: 862-777-4274
Email: [email protected]

GMO-Z.com Trust Company, Inc.
Email: [email protected]

Shift Markets
Matthew Struble
Email: [email protected]

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SOURCE GMO Internet Group