SoftBank Emerges as Preferred Bidder for SP.LINKS Acquisition

SoftBank is closing in on a deal to acquire SP.LINKS Inc., a Japanese payments services provider owned by Blackstone. The acquisition, worth approximately $625 million, would represent a tidy return for Blackstone, which acquired an 80% stake in the company from Sony Group just over two years ago.

The initial acquisition price was around $250 million at the time, with SP.LINKS' enterprise valuation set at ¥50 billion. However, SoftBank's bid now values the company at roughly ¥100 billion, more than double its previous worth.

This deal would build on SoftBank Corp.'s existing SB Payment Service and expand its offerings in Japan's payments market. Blackstone's move to sell SP.LINKS at a higher valuation reflects confidence in continued digital adoption across the Japanese economy.