MARUI GROUP CO., LTD. (丸井グループ) is a Japanese corporation headquartered in Nakano, Tokyo. Founded in 1931 by Chuji Aoi as a furniture retailer, the company has since expanded into department stores, shopping centers, and financial services. Today, MARUI GROUP operates two primary business segments: the Retailing segment, which runs MARUI and MODI stores across Japan, and the FinTech segment, which centers on the EPOS credit card business. EPOS has grown into the company's dominant revenue driver, processing tens of millions of card accounts and generating the majority of group profits.
MARUI GROUP is listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange under ticker 8252. Over the past decade, management has publicly committed to a transition away from traditional retail toward a subscription-based, fintech-led business model. The group has described this shift in annual reports as moving from "selling goods" to "building long-term customer relationships" through financial products, memberships, and digital services. This strategic pivot has drawn the company toward startup and technology investments, including ventures in the Web3 and blockchain space.
Notable investments
MARUI GROUP has made a small number of disclosed investments in fintech and digital asset-adjacent companies, with a reported portfolio of six companies and one lead investment. However, public information on the specific names of their crypto or blockchain portfolio companies is limited. The group has not widely publicized individual deal terms or portfolio company names through English-language channels. Investors seeking a full portfolio list should consult the MARUI GROUP official investor relations page or Japanese-language filings with the Financial Services Agency of Japan (EDINET).
Team
MARUI GROUP is led by President and CEO Hiroshi Aoi, grandson of founder Chuji Aoi. Hiroshi Aoi has been at the forefront of the group's fintech transformation and has spoken publicly about inclusive finance and sustainability goals. The corporate investment function sits within the broader group strategy team rather than a dedicated venture capital unit, which is typical for Japanese conglomerates making minority strategic investments. Public information about individual investment partners or deal leads within the group is limited.
Recent activity
In recent years, MARUI GROUP has signaled interest in digital finance, cashless payment infrastructure, and next-generation retail technology. The group has participated in discussions around Japan's evolving crypto regulatory landscape as the country's Financial Services Agency has moved to clarify rules for digital asset businesses. No major exits or write-downs from blockchain investments have been publicly disclosed as of early 2026.
MARUI GROUP's investment activity in Web3 remains modest relative to dedicated crypto venture funds. Its geographic focus is almost entirely Japan. Given the group's fintech-first strategy and EPOS card infrastructure, future investment interest is likely to center on payments, digital identity, and consumer-facing financial applications rather than protocol-layer blockchain projects. Detailed deal data beyond what is disclosed in Japanese regulatory filings is not publicly available in English.