Investment Review №339. Playing Defense

Yerlan Abdikarimov
Head of Financial Analysis Department at Freedom Broker
IPO of PayPay Corporation. Mobile Payments Service
On February 12, 2026, PayPay Corporation filed for an IPO. The company is a Japan-based developer of a mobile payments application and digital wallet. The underwriting syndicate includes Goldman Sachs, J.P. Morgan, Mizuho, Morgan Stanley, Citigroup, Jefferies, and BofA Securities, among others.
| Issuer | PayPay Corporation |
| Ticker | PAYP |
| Exchange | NASDAQ |
| Underwriters | Goldman Sachs, J.P. Morgan, Mizuho, Morgan Stanley, Citigroup, Jefferies, BofA Securities, Societe Generale, Wolfe Nomura Alliance, Cantor, Credit Agricole CIB, Daiwa Capital Markets, Deutsche Bank Securities, Natixis, SMBC Nikko |
Investment Potential
- Company Profile. From JV Challenger to Japan’s Fintech Powerhouse – Founded in 2018 as a joint venture with India’s Paytm, backed by Vision Fund, PayPay Corporation rapidly scaled to become Japan’s leading mobile payments platform, surpassing Rakuten Pay of Rakuten Group Inc in user count shortly after launch, fueled by aggressive marketing. The business operates across two segments: Payments, anchored by the PayPay mobile wallet and PayPay Card credit card, and Financial Services, which includes banking via PayPay Bank Corporation and investment and brokerage services through PayPay Securities Corporation. Together, the ecosystem enables users to pay, borrow, bank, and invest within a fully integrated mobile platform. As of December, PayPay’s user base exceeded 72 million in a country of roughly 123 million people.
- Potential Market. According to Grand View Research, Japan’s digital banking platform market totaled $1.381 bn in 2025 and is projected to reach $6.198 bn by 2033, implying a 21% CAGR (2026–2033).
- Financial Performance. PayPay Corporation logged 27% growth in FY24, slowed to 17% in FY25, but rebounded to 26% YTD FY26. EBIT margins have swung from –10% in FY23 to breakeven in FY24, 12% in FY25, and 22% in 9M FY26.