Kabu.com

Established in November 1999, Kabu.com Securities Co., Ltd. operates as an online securities brokerage primarily serving individual investors in Japan. The firm is a subsidiary of Mitsubishi UFJ Securities Holdings, which in turn is part of the Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group (MUFG), a major global financial institution. This relationship provides Kabu.com with substantial backing and access to a wide customer base, including MUFG's 40 million individual bank accounts.

The company's business model revolves around providing financial product trading services through the internet. Its revenue is generated from brokerage commissions, trading activities, and fees from other financial services. The service portfolio is comprehensive, covering cash equities, credit transactions, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), public offerings, investment trusts, and asset management services. The firm also engages in the bank agency business and foreign exchange margin trading.

A key part of the company's strategy involves leveraging technology to deliver its services. It holds patents related to order placement and asset management and has developed its systems in-house. This technological focus has enabled it to offer unique services, such as being the only online broker linked directly to the Japan Bankers Association system for automatic bank debit settlements since its early days. Furthermore, the company provides an open API, the "kabu.com API," allowing third-party developers and investment advisors to build tools and services on its platform.

Over the years, the company has undergone significant structural changes. Originally known as kabu.com Securities, it changed its name to au Kabucom Securities Co., Ltd. in December 2019 following a business and capital alliance with KDDI Corporation, a major telecommunications operator. This partnership aimed to merge finance and telecommunications to expand the customer base. More recently, in early 2025, MUFG obtained full ownership, and the company was rebranded to Mitsubishi UFJ eSmart Securities, signaling a strategic move to deepen synergies within the MUFG's retail securities business and enhance service integration for its banking customers.

Keywords: online brokerage, Japanese securities, financial services, equity trading, investment trusts, asset management, foreign exchange margin trading, Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, online trading platform, financial technology, retail investors, stock brokerage, ETF trading, Japanese stock market, securities firm, financial instruments, wealth management, API integration, DevSecOps, cybersecurity in finance