HashPort Group and SMBC Group Sign Agreement For Starting Consideration Of Collaboration in the Token Business Including NFTs for the ”Web 3.0” Era ～Establishment of ”Token Business Lab” to Create Ecosystem～

HashPort Inc. (Headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo, CEO: Seihaku Yoshida, hereinafter collectively called HashPort Group), its consolidated subsidiaries, HashPalette Inc. (Headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo, CEO: Seihaku Yoshida) and HashBank Inc. (Head Office: Minato-ku, Tokyo; CEO: Kazuyuki Tsuji) are pleased to announce that we have signed a MOU Agreement with Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group, Inc. (Headquarters: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, Group CEO: Jun Ohta, hereinafter collectively called SMBC Group) and its consolidated subsidiaries, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (Headquarters: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, President and CEO: Makoto Takashima) to begin discussions for collaboration in the token business including NFTs.

In the Web 3.0 field, also known as the post-Internet technology, various players are entering the market and providing new services globally that are mainly focused on NFTs which represent digital assets and contents. In addition, the "Grand Design and Action Plan for a New Form of Capitalism" and the "Priority Policy Program for Realizing Digital Society" decided by the Japanese Cabinet in June 2022 call for creating an environment to promote Web 3.0, and businesses in this field are likely to expand rapidly in the near future. In response to these movements, SMBC Group and HashPort Group will create an ecosystem involving many players in the NFT domain by combining SMBC Group's broad customer base and expertise in various businesses with HashPort Group's wealth of knowledge and technology related to Web 3.0. Specifically, both companies will establish a "Token Business Lab" to integrate the knowledge of the two groups, and we will conduct surveys, research, and experiments related to the promotion of the token business. Additionally, we will provide commercialization support and consulting services to customers considering NFTs and other token businesses. We will also consider the potential development of SMBC Group’s own token business. In anticipation of the Web 3.0 era, we hope to encourage the spread of the token business in Japan by working with many players in the ecosystem to create a digital custody service* and other functions in the future. *Digital custody service: A service to manage and store NFTs and other tokens on behalf of customers

■ SMBC Group Profile

＜Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group＞ Company Name : Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group, Inc. Location : 1-1-2, Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo Representative : Jun Ota Establishment : December 2, 2002 Business Overview : Management and administration of banks and other companies that may be made subsidiaries under the Banking Act, and other operations incidental thereto URL : https://www.smfg.co.jp/ ＜Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation＞ Company Name : Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation Location : 1-1-2, Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo Representative : Makoto Takashima Establishment : June 6, 1996 Business Overview : Banking business URL : https://www.smbc.co.jp/

■ HashPort Group Profile

＜HashPort＞ Company Name : HashPort Inc. Location : EDGE Shiba 4-chome BLDG, 4-5-10, Shiba, Minato-ku, Tokyo Representative : CEO Seihaku Yoshida Establishment : July 13, 2018 Business Overview : Provision of services related to token business utilizing blockchain and NFT in Web 3.0, etc. URL : https://hashport.io/en/ ＜HashPalette＞ Company Name : HashPalette Inc. Location : EDGE Shiba 4-chome BLDG, 4-5-10, Shiba, Minato-ku, Tokyo Representative : CEO Seihaku Yoshida Establishment : March 2, 2020 Business Overview : Development of “Palette”, a blockchain network optimized for distribution in NFT, and development, sales, and consulting of NFT-related systems and business. URL : https://hashpalette.com/ Twitter : https://twitter.com/hashpalette ＜HashBank＞ Company Name : Hashbank Inc. Location : EDGE Shiba 4-chome BLDG, 4-5-10, Shiba, Minato-ku, Tokyo Representative : CEO Kazuyuki Tsuji Establishment : April 15, 2022 Business Overview : Research and provision of financial infrastructure using blockchain technology URL : https://hashbank.co.jp/