SoftBank and PayPay in Talks to Invest $1.85 Billion in 7-Eleven Parent Seven & i Holdings

The proposed investment would give the two Japanese tech firms a combined stake of about 5 percent in Seven & i, according to people familiar with the matter. SoftBank and PayPay, which is majority owned by SoftBank, would each contribute roughly ¥150 billion.

The funds are intended to help Seven & i counter competition from global convenience store chains and e-commerce players. Part of the plan involves deploying enterprise artificial intelligence to automate store operations, such as inventory management and checkout processes.

The companies also aim to merge Seven & i's customer loyalty databases with PayPay's payment network, which has more than 60 million users in Japan. That integration would allow Seven & i to offer personalized promotions and streamline payment options across its stores.

Talks are ongoing and could still fall apart, the people said. A representative for Seven & i declined to comment, while SoftBank and PayPay did not respond to requests for comment.