[SoftBank Subsidiary SB Payment Service to Acquire SP.LINKS to Strengthen Payment Business Layout] According to Deep Tide TechFlow, on August 3, SB Payment Service (SBPS), the core payment business subsidiary of Japan's SoftBank Group, announced that it has reached an agreement with a fund under Blackstone Group to acquire shares of SP.LINKS (formerly Sony Payment Services) parent company. Upon completion of the transaction, SP.LINKS will become a subsidiary of SBPS. Both parties stated that they will leverage SP.LINKS' expertise in payment infrastructure and service capabilities, along with SBPS' strengths in payment services and business foundations, to further enhance the competitiveness of the payment agency business. This move aims to address market changes driven by the proliferation of cashless payments, the growth of e-commerce, and advancements in digital technologies such as AI.