SoftBank Group and PayPay are in talks to acquire a stake in 7-Eleven parent Seven & i Holdings. The investment could reach ¥300 billion ($1.85 billion) via the issuance of new shares. Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group’s credit card unit is also considering joining the deal.
The partnership combines Seven & i’s retail network with PayPay’s user base and SoftBank’s technology. SoftBank intends to deploy proprietary AI to optimize store management and inventory. The plan includes introducing autonomous robots to mitigate labor shortages.
This collaboration aims to build a massive consumer database to compete against retail-payment rivals. Parties expect to reach an agreement this summer, though a final deal remains uncertain.