Minna no Ginko and TMN Begin Exploring Collaboration on Embedded Finance for the Retail Industry

E-payment service provider Transaction Media Networks Co., Ltd. (HQ: Chuo-ku, Tokyo; Representative: Atsushi Otaka; hereinafter "TMN") announces the signing of a "Basic Agreement on Collaboration" with Minna no Ginko, Ltd. (HQ: Fukuoka City, Fukuoka; President: Kenichi Nagayoshi; hereinafter "Minna no Ginko"), a subsidiary of Fukuoka Financial Group, Inc. Discussions will commence on utilizing Minna no Ginko's financial functions and services within the services that TMN provides to the retail industry. Background and Purpose of Collaboration In recent years, the retail industry has increasingly emphasized strengthening customer engagement and data utilization through proprietary payment methods (house prepaid, house credit, etc.) alongside the spread of cashless payments. There is also growing attention on "embedded finance," where non-financial businesses incorporate financial functions into their own services. TMN, which provides a robust payment network to retailers nationwide, has a PFM (Personal, Financial, Marketing) business concept aimed at streamlining the supply chain surrounding retailers and creating new revenue streams such as financial services for them. Against this backdrop, TMN and Minna no Ginko, a digital bank providing next-generation financial infrastructure, will begin exploring this collaboration to combine their strengths, aiming to: - Provide new payment experiences for consumers - Support the business growth of retailers through customer retention and DX promotion - Assist in supply chain efficiency Main Collaborative Areas Under Consideration Based on this basic agreement, the two companies will proceed with concrete examinations on the following two points: 1. Addition of Direct Bank Account Charging to House Prepaid Payments We aim to provide a function that allows customers to charge their accounts directly from their bank accounts via Minna no Ginko's API (Application Programming Interface) for TMN's "House Prepaid Payment Service." This will save customers the hassle of charging, improving convenience and becoming a powerful tool for retailers to enhance customer retention and engagement. 2. Development of "Embedded Finance Services" and "Data-driven Finance" for the Retail Industry We aim to link TMN's business network with retailers nationwide, including supermarkets, convenience stores, and drugstores, with Minna no Ginko's financial infrastructure to provide "embedded finance services." TMN will act as a hub, considering the deployment of "embedded finance services" that embed Minna no Ginko's financial functions into retailers' own apps and services. This will enable retailers to offer new financial experiences as a primary account to customers without building their own financial systems. Furthermore, by providing financial services such as financing based on credit assessment and interest rate settings utilizing transaction data for retailers and their suppliers, we aim to contribute to the revitalization of the regional economy centered on the retail industry. Future Development Based on this agreement, the two companies will proceed with detailed discussions on service specifications and system integration, aiming for realization by fiscal year 2027. This includes introducing house prepaid cards with direct charging functions to retailers and starting initiatives to build a credit model. TMN will continue to create high-value-added services originating from payments, contributing to the development of the retail industry and the convenience of consumers. The World TMN x Minna no Ginko Aim to Create About the PFM Business Concept The PFM business concept, consisting of Personal, Financial, and Marketing, is a business concept that encompasses providing new financial services to consumers (Personal) together with retailers, and also providing marketing services that delight consumers in cooperation with various manufacturers. It aims to contribute to the business growth of retailers by "visualizing information" throughout the supply chain and "creating new revenue" by providing new financial services. As part of the PFM business, we have already developed data hub services that promote data utilization for retailers and a "Payment Revolution" service for B2B payment efficiency. We plan to continue expanding services based on the PFM business concept. More details on the PFM business concept here: https://www.tm-nets.com/company/message/PFM/ About Minna no Ginko Minna no Ginko is Japan's first digital bank aiming to provide new financial functions targeted at the digital native generation. It offers an intuitive and frictionless user experience (UI/UX) by eliminating the need for physical branches, paperwork, or seals, allowing all services—from account opening to ATM deposits/withdrawals, transfers, and various loans—to be completed on a smartphone app. Leveraging the system infrastructure cultivated in its personal banking business, it also operates a "BaaS (Banking as a Service)" business, providing financial functions as modules to partner companies. It supports value co-creation between companies and customers by seamlessly embedding financial functions such as "payments," "deposits," and "loans" into the services of various businesses, including retail and distribution, via APIs. https://www.minna-no-ginko.com/ About Transaction Media Networks A company that supports distribution by utilizing data based on its payment infrastructure. Since commercializing cloud-based e-payment for the first time in Japan, it has been developing a gateway business that connects various payment methods such as credit cards, QR/barcode payments, centered on e-money. It is now introduced in a wide range of business formats such as supermarkets and drugstores, with over 1.1 million terminals connected, building a foundation that supports annual payments of about 4.9 trillion yen. Utilizing this payment network, it promotes an "information processing business" that collects, integrates, and analyzes purchase data through cloud POS and house prepaid cards, supporting sales promotion optimization and profit improvement for retail businesses. Transaction Media Networks Co., Ltd. Representative: Atsushi Otaka (Growth Market: 5258) Head Office: 18F, Taiyo Life Nihonbashi Building, 2-11-2 Nihonbashi, Chuo-ku, Tokyo Business: Development and provision of e-payment services, Development and provision of information processing services Established: March 2008 Capital: 6.1651 billion yen (as of March 2025) URL: https://www.tm-nets.com/ *"QR Code" is a registered trademark of DENSO WAVE INCORPORATED.