Japanese challenger Habitto launches mobile app
Japanese fintech start-up Habitto has launched its mobile app today, offering customers a digital savings account and access to free financial advice.
Habitto launches mobile app in Japan
Led by Samantha Ghiotti and Liam McCance, Habitto was founded in late 2021 and currently employs a team of 17 people, including three financial advisors.
The Tokyo-based start-up’s key offering is its savings account, which offers an interest rate of 0.3% on deposits up to ¥1 million, and comes with a Visa debit card. Habitto’s mobile app also offers free financial advisory services including personalised money plans, in-app chat and video call services.
“We believe everyone deserves a money strategy but it’s often complicated, time-consuming and hard to act on. It should not be like this,” says Samantha Ghiotti, CEO and co-founder of Habitto.
Ghiotti adds that with Habitto, they plan to “empower Japanese savers to better put their money to work, with transparent products and genuine financial advice”.
In February, Habitto raised $3.9 million in a pre-Series A funding round co-led by Saison Capital and Cherubic Ventures, with new investors DG Daiwa Ventures, GMO Ventures, Kyokuto Securities, Epic Angels, and a number of angel investors taking part.
The start-up raised a seed round of $3.4 million in 2021 from Anthemis Group and Apis Partners, bringing the total funding raised so far to $7.3 million.
