employee stock plan

Unauthorized access to SMBC Nikko Securities' employee stock plan system (up to 56,487 members): names, addresses and transfer account information may have leaked — what plan members should do

On November 11, 2026, SMBC Nikko Securities announced that a third party had gained unauthorized access to the system it uses to administer employee stock ownership plans (mochikabu-kai) and that personal information of plan members had leaked or may have leaked. It confirmed the unauthorized access on November 9, blocked access to the system the same day and suspended the service. Up to 56,487 members are covered. The items are: plan name, investment stock information, member ID number, name, address, dividends and taxes, holding balance and transfer account information; the items that leaked differ from member to member. Phone numbers and email addresses are not registered in the system and did not leak. The company says no secondary damage caused by this incident has been confirmed. The cause and scope are under investigation, and the company says it will contact the affected plans individually. As of November 13, 2026, no follow-up notice had been found. This site's conclusion: plan members should not respond to contact in the company's or the plan's name, should check the deposits and withdrawals on the account where dividends are paid, and should wait for guidance from their plan's administration office.