On August 3, SB Payment Service (SBPS), a key subsidiary of Japan's SoftBank Group specializing in payment solutions, announced an agreement with a fund managed by Blackstone Group to acquire the parent company shares of SP.LINKS (previously known as Sony Payment Services). Upon completion of the transaction, SP.LINKS will transition into a fully-owned subsidiary of SBPS. The two entities will leverage SP.LINKS's expertise in payment infrastructure and service capabilities, combined with SBPS's proficiency in payment services and business infrastructure, to elevate the competitiveness of their payment processing business. This strategic move aims to address market shifts driven by the increasing prevalence of cashless transactions, the growth of e-commerce, and advancements in digital technologies such as AI.