SB Payment Service

SB Payment Service: Evidence-Based Overview For Merchants

SB Payment Service is a Japan-based payment service provider that offers a broad set of online and in-store payment methods, security options, and developer tooling for domestic and cross-border commerce. This overview explains what SB Payment Service provides, how it integrates, and when it is a fit for your business.

What SB Payment Service Is

SB Payment Service Corp. is a SoftBank Group company headquartered in Tokyo that operates a payment processing platform covering credit cards, wallets, carrier billing, convenience store payments, and other local methods. The company holds relevant registrations in Japan and publishes its corporate profile and certifications. For merchants selling to Japanese consumers or Japan-based buyers, the product catalog aligns with prevalent local payment habits, including convenience store pay and mobile carrier billing.

Supported Payment Methods

SB Payment Service lists more than 40 brands for online payments. The catalog includes:

• Credit cards – service compatible with six major international brands, and the company holds international brand licenses from Visa, Mastercard, and UnionPay.

• Digital wallets – Apple Pay and Google Pay for web and in-app use cases.

• QR and app payments – PayPay, Alipay+, and WeChat Pay.

• Carrier billing – SoftBank Mobile Wallet, d Payment, and au PAY. Contracts for all three can be handled through one integration.

• Convenience store payments – pay-at-store barcodes and slips accepted nationwide.

• Account-based and invoices – Pay-easy internet banking, general bank transfer invoice flows, and account transfer service.

• BNPL – NP postpaid as a post-delivery invoice option.

• Other Japan-specific options – Rakuten Pay (Online), Recruit Kantan, prepaid and e-money such as Rakuten Edy and Mobile Suica, plus PayPal and China UnionPay for inbound and cross-border needs.

This breadth helps match buyer preferences in Japan and among inbound shoppers, without separate direct contracts for every acquirer or method.

Integration Models And Checkout Options

SB Payment Service supports two main connection methods so teams can choose the balance of speed and control:

• Link Type – SB Payment Service hosts the payment pages. This reduces PCI scope for merchants and shortens time to launch. It is often used for quick additions of new methods or when development resources are limited.

• API Type – merchants render their own checkout and call SB Payment Service APIs for authorization, capture, refunds, and status changes. This is used when you need a custom UX, deeper back-office automation, or advanced routing.

For one-off invoices or remote collections, Email Link Payment lets staff generate payment links from the merchant portal, which works with supported methods and does not require a shopping cart to be present.

Recurring And Billing Options

If you run subscriptions or memberships, SB Payment Service provides multiple billing modes:

• One-time billing – standard pay-per-purchase.

• Recurring billing – simple – charges a fixed amount on a schedule defined by SB Payment Service, suitable for monthly fees.

• Recurring billing – fixed or metered – merchants specify cycle timing and amounts, supporting promotions or variable billing.

• Card updater and re-billing aids – services to check and refresh stored card details reduce declines from expired credentials.

Recurring billing is available with select methods that support it, including credit cards and certain carrier billing options.

Security, Authentication, And Compliance

Security controls are a core part of the platform:

• PCI DSS – SB Payment Service states compliance with PCI DSS v4.0, published with certification details and validity periods on its corporate site.

• 3-D Secure (EMV 3DS) – a dedicated Identity Authentication Service enables merchants to implement EMV 3-D Secure. SB Payment Service highlights that in Japan, card security guidelines require EMV 3DS from April 2025 and provides an integration path for both Link and API models.

• Tokenization – the One-time Token System converts card data to tokens in the browser via SB Payment Service JavaScript so merchants can process without handling PAN data, supporting cardholder data non-retention.

• AI fraud detection – risk scoring and rules can be added for credit card transactions. Documentation indicates availability alongside 3DS.

• Apple Pay security – Apple Pay flows use device biometrics or passcode. SB Payment Service notes Apple Pay transactions are not subject to the merchant-side EMV 3DS implementation requirement in Japan, which can simplify checkout where eligible.

Taken together, the 3DS service, tokenization, and PCI posture allow different deployment patterns that are appropriate for merchants with varying compliance needs.

Developer Experience And Documentation

Technical resources are published on the developer portal:

• Comprehensive specs – Link Type and API Type references, including credit card interfaces, EMV 3DS, carrier billing APIs, and wallets like Apple Pay and Google Pay.

• Method-specific guides – API sections for PayPay, Alipay+, WeChat Pay, Rakuten Pay (Online) and others.

• Testing – a Test overview and connection support pages are available so teams can validate flows before production.

• Error catalogs and sample code – provided for both Link Type and API Type to speed up implementation.

These materials help engineering teams estimate effort, choose the right model, and confirm edge cases like partial captures, refunds, or asynchronous methods such as convenience store payments.

Merchant Operations And Reporting

SB Payment Service provides a Payment Management Tool accessible via a merchant portal:

• Search and download transactions, confirm sales and captures, cancel or refund where supported.

• Export CSVs and reconcile settlements.

• Configure features like email link payments and check method statuses.

For physical retail needs, SB Payment Service also lists in-store acceptance options and QR code payment services, but this overview focuses on the online stack.

Japan-Specific Coverage Highlights

If your primary audience is in Japan, the following capabilities are useful:

• Carrier billing – implement SoftBank Mobile Wallet, d Payment, and au PAY via one provider, with recurring support documented for compatible methods. Carrier billing lets users charge purchases to their mobile bill or use balances and reduces form entry on small screens.

• Convenience store payments – barcode or slip-based payment at major chains. The service documents amount limits and refund constraints for these offline methods, which is important for customer support playbooks.

• Pay-easy – internet banking and ATM payments through participating financial institutions for on-the-spot settlement.

• Inbound Chinese wallets – Alipay+ and WeChat Pay support inbound consumers and residents in Japan, and SB Payment Service also covers UnionPay online for cardholders.

These methods are commonly requested by Japanese consumers and can complement cards and global wallets.

When SB Payment Service Is A Fit

Consider SB Payment Service if:

• You sell to Japan-based consumers and need local methods like convenience store pay, Pay-easy, and carrier billing alongside cards and global wallets.

• You want to consolidate multiple brand contracts into a single PSP relationship, especially for QR wallets and carrier billing.

• You must implement EMV 3DS in Japan and prefer a provider that offers a packaged 3DS service with Link and API options.

• Your team needs developer documentation and testing resources covering a wide range of Japan-specific methods.

Conclusion

SB Payment Service is a SoftBank Group PSP focused on Japan that offers a comprehensive suite of local and global payment methods, multiple integration paths, and layered security that includes PCI DSS v4.0, tokenization, EMV 3DS, and optional fraud detection. Its catalog is especially strong for Japan-specific options like carrier billing, convenience store pay, and Pay-easy, while also covering Apple Pay, Google Pay, and inbound wallets. For merchants with meaningful Japan exposure, SB Payment Service can reduce the operational overhead of contracting and integrating many brands separately while aligning with local compliance expectations.