Advantage Partners sold a 12.33% stake in Net Protections Holdings to Ricoh Leasing to enhance the B2B payment services sector through strategic collaboration.

Target Company Overview

Advantage Partners (referred to as 'AP') has sold 10,858 shares of Net Protections Holdings, Inc. (referred to as 'Net Protections Holdings'), representing approximately 12.33% of the total shares outstanding on a fully diluted basis, to Ricoh Leasing Company, Limited (referred to as 'Ricoh Leasing', TSE 1st Section / Securities Code 8566). Net Protections Holdings, through its subsidiary Net Protections, has been providing B2C e-commerce deferred payment services since its establishment in 2002. Since AP's investment in July 2016, the company has utilized its networks and business improvement expertise to enhance operational capabilities. As a result, the annual active user base of Net Protections' primary service, 'NP After Payment', surpassed 13.5 million in FY2018, with a cumulative transaction volume reaching 170 million since the service's inception, solidifying its position as a key payment infrastructure in domestic e-commerce.

Industry Overview in Japan

The e-commerce payment sector in Japan has witnessed significant growth, driven by the rising trend of online shopping and changing consumer preferences towards flexible payment solutions. The e-commerce market has expanded rapidly, with consumers increasingly favoring deferred payment options that allow for purchase follow-up without immediate financial commitment. This shift has naturally aligned with technological advancements, enhancing the user experience in payment processing.

Japan's digital payment landscape is characterized by fierce competition among various service providers offering a plethora of payment options, including credit cards, mobile wallets, and deferred payment methods. This dynamic environment has nece