Citi has made a strategic investment in Sakana AI, marking the bank’s first investment in Japan and signaling deeper collaboration between global financial institutions and emerging AI developers. The deal was executed through Citi’s Markets Strategic Investments unit, which backs fintech and enterprise technology firms aligned with its Markets division. Financial terms were not disclosed.

Citi said the investment reflects Sakana AI’s growing commercial traction and technical capabilities. The move is also intended to support the company’s international expansion and further development of AI solutions tailored to financial services.

“As a leading AI company in Japan, Sakana AI is driving innovation across the Japan market. We are proud to support their journey and look forward to providing value-add opportunities as they expand their financial services product offering,” said Robert Nakamura, Citi Country Officer and Banking Head for Japan.

Sakana AI has previously worked with financial institutions to design specialized AI models for finance-related use cases. David Ha, CEO of Sakana AI, said the investment underscores the company’s progress in the sector.

“We are honored to receive this strategic investment from Citi, which we believe is a testament to Sakana AI’s technological capabilities and our track record in the financial sector. Leveraging our expertise in applying frontier AI within specialized financial domains, we look forward to working with Citi to transform global financial services,” Ha said.

Siris Singh, Global Head of Markets Strategic Investments at Citi, added: “Sakana AI has developed a unique and robust offering that has enabled them to develop a strong foundation and proven product-market fit in Japan. We’re excited to invest in Sakana AI as they further cement their position in Japan and expand globally.”

Citi’s Markets Strategic Investments unit focuses on early-stage and growth companies developing technologies that can enhance the bank’s capabilities and client offerings. The investment highlights how financial institutions are increasingly partnering with AI firms to accelerate innovation across global markets.