SoftBank and PayPay negotiate multi‑billion yen investment in Seven & i Holdings

SoftBank Corp and mobile‑payments operator PayPay are in talks to invest several hundred billion yen in retail giant Seven & i Holdings, the operator of the global 7‑Eleven convenience‑store network. A unit of Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group, Sumitomo Mitsui Card, may also take a stake, with the total investment quoted at about 300 billion yen (roughly $1.9 billion). SoftBank plans to apply its in‑house artificial‑intelligence tools and autonomous robots to improve store management and reduce labour at Seven & i locations. The deal follows Seven & i’s recent challenges, including a failed takeover attempt by Canada’s Alimentation Couche‑Tard and its 2025 plan to sell its supermarket business to private‑equity firm Bain Capital. SoftBank Group’s broader AI investment commitment is slated to exceed $60 billion by the end of 2026.