This Leader Interview is a series introducing the personality and perspectives of top executives within the PayPay Group. This time, we spoke with Keiichiro Kurio, who was appointed Representative Director, President, and CEO of PayPay Securities Corporation in April 2025.
Keiichiro Kurio
Representative Director, President and CEO
After graduating from university, he joined a food company. He then moved to SoftBank Corp. in 2008, engaging in corporate sales, new business, and agent development. Following a stint in FinTech sourcing and investment, he participated in the launch of PayPay and promoted the financial business as the Head of Financial Strategy for PayPay. In April 2025, he was appointed Representative Director, President, and CEO of PayPay Securities. He now spearheads the company’s growth, aiming to deliver value to users through new financial services integrated across the Group.
A Trajectory of Transformation and Challenge, Starting from the Closest Inch
Could you tell us about your career path so far?
My career path began with a desire to be involved with things closely related to people’s lives—specifically, things that “come within one centimeter of the body.” After starting with sales at a food company right out of university, I moved to SoftBank Corp. due to a strong interest in telecommunications and technology. Through roles in corporate sales, new business launches, and agent development, I gained extensive experience that fostered my own professional development.
Subsequently, I became interested in the indispensable domain of “money,” something constantly close at hand, prompting my shift into FinTech. I applied for an internal recruitment drive within the SoftBank Group for a division handling FinTech sourcing and investment. There, I deeply resonated with Son-san’s “Time Machine Management” philosophy and devoted my efforts to introducing cutting-edge overseas businesses domestically. I was heavily involved in the launch of PayPay. While gaining hands-on experience on the ground and engaging in R&D, I initiated the realization of proposals like factoring within PayPay.
I constantly make it a point to view things with the perspective of “is there a better way?” The core is whether we can deliver a truly valuable experience for the user, rather than being constrained by existing systems or conventions. Driven by this conviction, I joined PayPay Securities in April 2025. My current focus is on accelerating the growth of PayPay Securities while also concentrating on providing a new, integrated financial experience across the entire Group.
PayPay Securities: Current Status and Growth Strategy
Could you describe the current situation at PayPay Securities?
PayPay Securities has surpassed 1.37 million cumulative brokerage accounts and 420,000 NISA accounts (as of April 2025). When I took the helm as CEO in April 2025, my first priority was to deeply analyze what users seek and expect from a brokerage firm. What I reaffirmed was the sheer diversity of our user base. Given our service offerings, we must strive to provide a universally convenient experience, regardless of the user’s level of financial literacy. I sought direction on how we can truly deliver value.
To date, PayPay Securities has appealed to beginner investors by highlighting features like “asset management from 100 yen” and “simulated investing with points.” A survey by MMD Labo ( Survey Data) shows that about 15% of experienced investors use PayPay Securities, demonstrating our substantial presence as a mobile brokerage. However, it is now an urgent mandate to accelerate our growth by simultaneously expanding our product lineup and improving the usability of our existing services. We aim to become the premier platform—the “first-to-mind” choice for mobile brokerage—not just for beginners but also for seasoned investors. Achieving this is one of the key missions assigned to me.
What are your immediate focus areas for reinforcement?
Based on our analysis, we have defined seven categories that users look for in a brokerage (such as account opening, deposits/withdrawals, ease of trading, etc.) and are implementing improvements. Going forward, we aim to transition from a situation where “products are placed, and the user searches” to a world where “products gravitate toward the user.” We plan to utilize AI and data to deliver optimal choices via a single smartphone, acting as a dedicated advisor tailored to each user’s life stage—be it generation, age, or occupation. As a result, we aim to double the number of brokerage accounts and NISA accounts within the next year, making us the convenient choice for both novice and experienced investors alike.
“Deposits/Withdrawals” and “Ease of Trading” are particular areas of focus. We want to connect banking, credit cards, and brokerage services in a trinity to create an experience that closely aligns with the user’s entire daily life. For instance, being able to check asset growth on the PayPay Bank app or having PayPay Card usage naturally correlate with asset management. We will leverage PayPay’s strength in UI/UX to build systems that “become more convenient the more you use them,” maximizing synergy across the entire Group.
PayPay Securities’ Culture: Embracing Challenges and Creating Value
What principles do you value most in your work?
I value the philosophy that “the real work begins when the challenges appear.” New undertakings inevitably face various obstacles, such as systemic constraints, rules, and risks. However, I believe that truly meaningful value for the user is only generated by diligently overcoming each of these barriers. To be honest, I sometimes feel that if there were no challenges, the value created would be minor.
The crucial point is how we overcome the challenges and whether that ultimately translates into value delivered to the user. We must not see hurdles as impediments but rather as opportunities for transformation, and we must resolve to drive their realization to create a social impact. That is the essential part.
What are the appeals, selling points, and rewards of working at PayPay Securities?
PayPay Securities is at the very center of the immense challenge to further enhance the convenience of financial services, evolving them into something more accessible and user-friendly. The greatest appeal, I feel, is the ability to deliver an unparalleled user experience: one where we don’t isolate asset management but integrate it into everyday payment activities, leading to “asset management as a natural extension of payment.”
We will leverage our 70-million-user payment infrastructure (as of July 2025) to create a system where users can achieve natural wealth building—where their assets grow simply by using PayPay as they normally would. Deepening Group collaboration and rapidly developing new, unprecedented financial services in-house is a unique and profound reward.
What do you consciously do to foster the growth of team members?
Internally, individuals who “think from the user’s perspective and enjoy a challenge” are thriving. Concurrently, I consciously focus on clearly communicating roles and expectations. Appointing a single person in charge instills accountability and permeates the organization with the psychological safety to take risks. The goal is the same, but there are multiple paths to the summit. Respecting this freedom of approach is what I believe leads to the growth of our members.
Co-creating the Future of Financial Services
What do you aim to achieve in the future, and what is your long-term vision or ideal?
We aim to solidify our position as the No. 1 mobile brokerage in Japan. To do this, we want to establish ourselves as both “the first choice for beginners” and “the most comfortable mobile brokerage for experienced investors.” Furthermore, by utilizing AI and data to establish a better standard of financial experience—where products gravitate toward the user—we seek to advance the democratization of investment. With a strong resolve to lead the industry and set new standards, we will forge the path to the future to achieve this goal.
Finally, do you have a message for our readers?
PayPay Securities is seriously committed to realizing “an investment experience that is an extension of daily life.” We are looking for colleagues to join us in solidifying our position as the No. 1 mobile brokerage in Japan and co-creating new experiences that shatter conventional wisdom. We welcome those who think from a user’s perspective and genuinely enjoy overcoming difficult challenges. Here, you will find an environment where we can in-house develop new services at overwhelming speed, leveraging a 70-million-user base and unprecedented Group-wide collaboration.
Why don’t you join us in building the new future of finance?
