What NETSTARS does

NETSTARS Co., Ltd. (株式会社ネットスターズ) is a Tokyo-headquartered fintech company founded in 2009 that operates StarPay, a multi-cashless payment gateway aggregating more than 50 domestic and international payment brands — including WeChat Pay, Alipay, Alipay+, PayPay, UnionPay QR, credit cards, and electronic money — behind a single merchant contract and unified settlement. The company was the first WeChat Pay agent in Japan (2015) and has since built infrastructure spanning roughly 15,000 direct enterprise contracts and 340,000 payment acceptance locations, with wholly-owned development subsidiaries in Dalian, Beijing, Hanoi, and Singapore. Its product portfolio branches into three core lines: StarPay (payment gateway), StarPay-DX/Regiless Platform (labor-saving store automation via self-ordering kiosks, mobile ordering, digital gift certificates, and robotics), and StarPay-Global (cross-border QR switching for foreign financial institutions in Cambodia, Indonesia, Mongolia, and Qatar).

The underlying technology stack combines a proprietary payment-aggregation engine with AWS Aurora database infrastructure, ClickHouse OLAP for analytics, a NoWorryDB backup and failover system supporting 99.99% uptime, and AI-enhanced QR scanning. The company is actively extending into Web3 through the StarPay-X gateway, which bridges Solana, Aptos, Canton Network, and self-custodial wallets (MetaMask, Bitget Wallet) for stablecoin (USDC) payments, and operates KubeStar, a multi-cloud CaaS platform supporting its own workloads and external customers. Revenue is generated through transaction fees on payment processing, hardware sales (SUNMI terminals, EPSON/Star receipt printers), subscription fees for self-ordering systems, SI/custom development, mini-app development fees on LINE and d-barai super-apps, and platform fees on municipal digital voucher programs. GTM combines direct enterprise sales, an online self-service application portal, bank channel partnerships, and event-driven marketing. The company is privately held, founder-led (Li Gang as CEO, Peilung Li as Chairman), with disclosed equity funding of approximately $88 million across multiple rounds including a 2021 Series 4 led by KKR.

Name

NETSTARS

Legal name

株式会社ネットスターズ (NETSTARS CO.,LTD.)

Website

https://netstars.co.jp

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

NETSTARS operates StarPay, a multi-cashless payment gateway aggregating 50+ payment brands for 15,000 enterprise contracts and 340,000 merchant locations in Japan, with cross-border QR switching across Asia and a new StarPay-X Web3 stablecoin payment initiative.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Payment Gateway and Fintech Infrastructure

NAICS

Financial Transactions Processing, Reserve, and Clearinghouse Activities (52232), Financial Transactions Processing, Reserve, and Clearinghouse Activities (522320)

SIC

Finance Services (6199)

akta.pro primary industry

Merchant Payment Gateways (API/Hosted Checkout) (FSAMACAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

PSP Aggregators / PayFac Enablement (Gateway Layer) (FSAMACAK), Bank-to-Bank Transfers & Pay-by-Bank (Consumer & Merchant) (FSAMAFAC), A2A Checkout & Merchant Acceptance Solutions (FSAMAFAF), Cross-Border FX, Multi-Currency & Treasury for Payments (FSAGABAK), A2A Payment Initiation Service Providers (PISPs) (FSAMAFAB)

Keywords

• Multi-cashless payment gateway
• QR code payment aggregation
• Cross-border payment infrastructure
• Store digital transformation
• Web3 stablecoin payments

Headquarters

HQ city

Tokyo

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Infrastructure, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Payment Processing Transaction Fees: Revenue from processing cashless payments across StarPay gateway. Merchants pay transaction fees (percentage of payment amount) for each payment processed through the platform.
2. Payment Terminal and Hardware Sales: Sales of QR payment terminals (SUNMI V2, etc.), receipt printers (EPSON, Star models), and kiosk terminals for self-ordering systems.
3. SI/Custom Development Services: Custom system integration, development, and consulting services for enterprise clients including ERP (Infor M3), EAM (HxGN EAM), and payment solution implementations.
4. Mini App Development (StarPay-mini): Development and maintenance fees for mini-apps deployed on super platforms like LINE and d払い, including digital membership, reservation, and payment features.
5. Inbound Promotion Services: Marketing services helping Japanese businesses attract inbound tourists through influencer campaigns on Chinese and Asian social media platforms (Weibo, RED/小紅書, WeChat).
6. Digital Voucher/Municipal Coupon Services: Platform fees from managing digital regional gift certificates and municipal coupon campaigns (e.g., Kanagawa Pay, Yokohama Premium Vouchers).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

NETSTARS operates the StarPay multi-cashless payment gateway, aggregating 50+ domestic and international payment brands (QR codes, credit cards, electronic money, points) under a single merchant contract. The platform processes transactions for approximately 15,000 direct enterprise clients and 340,000 payment locations across Japan, with international extensions via StarPay-Global (cross-border QR switching for Cambodia KHQR, Indonesia QRIS, Thailand PromptPay) and StarPay-X (Web3/stablecoin payment infrastructure supporting USDC on Solana, Aptos, and Canton Network).

Product overview

NETSTARS operates a multi-product fintech ecosystem anchored by its flagship StarPay gateway platform. StarPay is a multi-cashless payment solution that aggregates 50+ domestic and international QR code, credit card, and electronic money payment brands into a single integration, serving ~15,000 direct enterprise contracts and 340,000+ merchant locations. Three core business divisions drive the portfolio: StarPay (merchant-facing payment gateway), StarPay-DX/レジレスプラットフォーム (store DX for labor reduction via kiosks, mobile ordering, and self-checkout), and StarPay-Global (cross-border payment infrastructure for financial institutions). Supporting products include StarPay-Order (self-ordering system), StarPay-mini (super-app mini app development), StarPay-X (Web2-Web3 gateway for crypto/stablecoin payments), StarPay-デジタル商品券 (digital local gift certificates), StarPay-Cashier (QR-only payment), KubeStar (cloud-native CaaS platform), and inbound promotion/marketing services. The company also provides AI call center solutions and operates NetStars Market for merchant supplies. The StarPay-X framework connects blockchain networks (Aptos, Solana, Canton Network) and crypto wallets (MetaMask, Bitget Wallet) to traditional QR payment flows, enabling USDC stablecoin payments at physical stores.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• StarPay: Multi-cashless payment solution aggregating QR code payments, credit cards, electronic money, and point systems for merchants in Japan and internationally.
• StarPay-DX
• StarPay-Global
• StarPay-X
• StarPay-mini
• KubeStar
• StarPay-Biz for Hotel

Products and services

• StarPay Multi-cashless payment gateway aggregating 50+ payment brands (QR codes, credit cards, electronic money, points) under a single contract. Connects merchants to domestic and international payment methods with unified settlement, serving approximately 15,000 direct enterprise contracts and 340,000+ merchant locations.
• StarPay-Global Cross-border payment infrastructure arm of StarPay, connecting foreign banks and payment service providers to Japanese JPQR codes. Active connections include Cambodia KHQR (Osaka Expo 2025), Indonesia QRIS, Thailand PromptPay, and other Asian QR standards, enabling foreign tourists to pay in Japan using domestic payment apps.
• StarPay-DX (Regiless Platform) Store DX solution for labor reduction and operational automation. Includes self-checkout kiosks (Regiless Platform), mobile ordering, self-service systems, and supports unmanned store operations with multi-language capabilities and 50+ payment methods. Targets labor-shortage industries including hospitality, retail, and food service.
• StarPay-Order Self-ordering system with kiosk-order (touch-panel terminal for order and payment) and mobile-order (smartphone web ordering) variants. Supports QR code payments, credit cards, electronic money, and cash, with multi-language support (Japanese, English, Chinese) for inbound visitors. Cloud-based management provides real-time sales data.
• StarPay-mini Mini-app development service enabling businesses to implement features within LINE and PayPay super apps, including digital membership cards, reservation systems, and payment integration. Single development covers both iOS and Android.
• StarPay-X Web2-Web3 payment gateway connecting crypto wallets, blockchains, and stablecoins to StarPay's merchant network. Enables merchants to accept Web3 payments through existing QR infrastructure with yen-denominated settlement. Partners include Bitget Wallet, Aptos, Solana, Startale Group, AllScale, and Canton Network.
• StarPay-デジタル商品券 (Digital Local Gift Certificate) Digital local gift certificate service replacing paper premium gift certificates with web-app-based digital certificates stored on smartphones. Reduces administrative costs for local governments and retail operators while enabling consumption tracking and fraud prevention. Used for municipal campaigns such as Kanagawa Pay and Yokohama Premium Vouchers.
• StarPay-Robot Autonomous robot solution for store operations, part of the StarPay-DX ecosystem for unmanned store operations and labor reduction in retail and food service.
• StarPay-Cashier QR-code-only payment solution where merchants display a single QR code for multiple payment services. Supports both fixed-amount and variable-amount QR codes. No terminal or POS required; merchants print QR codes from the management screen.
• StarPay-Biz for Hotel B2B payment platform for hotels connecting Japanese hotels with overseas travel agencies and OTAs using Mastercard Virtual Card Number (VCN). Automates credit card processing without manual data entry for international booking settlement.
• KubeStar Cloud-native CaaS (Container as a Service) platform for multi-cloud development and operations. Supports major cloud providers with one-click deployment, Kubernetes management, multi-cloud monitoring, automated CI/CD pipelines, an application store with ready templates, and security vulnerability detection.
• Inbound Promotion Services Inbound tourism marketing services including influencer campaigns, WeChat/RED (Xiaohongshu) marketing, and multi-language promotional content. Targets Chinese, Taiwanese, Korean, and Southeast Asian tourists via RED, Weibo, and local influencer networks.
• AI Call Center Solution Next-generation AI call center solution using AI for customer service automation, initially deployed at the Aeon Delight Connect call center.

Quantifiable outcome

• 60% mobile ordering adoption rate at universities
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

Yes

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration24 records

AI capability12 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.

• Startale GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 June 2026Web3 payment collaboration with Startale Group for promoting Web3 payment adoption in Japan. Basic agreement signed for joint efforts in next-generation payment infrastructure.
• AllScalecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 June 2026Collaboration for promoting stablecoin payment adoption in Japan. Basic agreement signed for establishing stablecoin payment infrastructure using AllScale's solutions.
• AptoscoreTechnology or Integration · 8 May 2026Partnership with high-performance Layer 1 blockchain Aptos for Web3 payment infrastructure. Aptos provides fast, low-cost transaction processing suitable for retail payments, supporting StarPay-X's vision of connecting Web3 payment capabilities with traditional merchant systems.
• Bitget WalletcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 April 2026Web3 payment partnership under StarPay-X framework. Bitget Wallet (9,000万+ users globally) integrates self-custodial crypto payments into Japan's stablecoin ecosystem. The collaboration aims to embed wallet-based payments into existing QR payment flows for in-store and cross-border transactions, leveraging NETSTARS' QR aggregation network for Japanese merchants.
• QNB (Qatar National Bank)flagshipChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 29 November 2025First bank in GCC to enable WeChat Pay acceptance for e-commerce, collaborating with Darwish Holding and NETSTARS. Allows QNB e-commerce merchants in Qatar to accept WeChat Pay, targeting Chinese tourists and residents.
• National Bank of Cambodia / Payments Japan AssociationflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 July 2025Phase 1 launch of cross-border QR payment cooperation between Cambodia (KHQR) and Japan (JPQR) at Osaka-Kansai Expo 2025. ACLEDA Bank serves as sponsoring bank while NETSTARS provides international payment switching infrastructure.
• Sathapana Bank (Cambodia)flagshipChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 30 June 2023First Japanese-commercial bank in Cambodia enabling WeChat Pay acceptance for Chinese tourists. NETSTARS provides StarPay-Global gateway for foreign payment integration.
• WEA JAPANcoreTechnology or IntegrationWEA JAPAN developed stablecoin payment QR code system used in Haneda Airport USDC payment POC. Provides the QR code generation and reading infrastructure for blockchain-based payments.
• ACLEDA Bank (Cambodia)flagshipTechnology or IntegrationSponsoring bank for KHQR-JPQR cross-border payment pilot. Cambodian users can now make payments in Japan by scanning JPQR codes through ACLEDA Bank's Super App.
• Indonesia Bank (Bank Indonesia)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerJPQR and QRIS integration enabling Indonesian tourists to pay in Japan using QRIS-compliant apps. Official ceremony held at Osaka Expo Indonesia Pavilion with Deputy Governor participation.
• Darwish Holding (Qatar)flagshipChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorQatari partner collaborating on WeChat Pay e-commerce launch with QNB, facilitating Chinese payment acceptance in Qatar market.
• Alipay+ (Ant Group)coreTechnology or IntegrationAlipay+ integrates 6 countries and 8 payment apps (Alipay, AlipayHK, KakaoPay, Touch 'n Go, GCash, EZ-Link) into StarPay gateway, enabling merchants to accept Asian mobile payments under single contract.
• MastercardcoreTechnology or IntegrationMastercard VCN (Virtual Card Number) powers StarPay-Biz for Hotel B2B payment solution, enabling hotels to efficiently process international travel agency payments without manual credit card entry.
• Ryugin Bank (琉球銀行)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOkinawa-based bank promoting NETSTARS payment solutions and DX services (レジレスプラットフォーム) to regional merchants. Partnership includes cashless promotion and DX consulting for local businesses.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• PayPay Corporation: PayPay is Japan's dominant QR payment app with tens of millions of users, directly competing with StarPay for merchant acceptance. While NETSTARS aggregates PayPay as one of 50+ methods, PayPay's scale and direct merchant relationships represent the primary competitive threat to NETSTARS's gateway value proposition.
• GMO Payment Gateway: GMO Payment Gateway is Japan's largest online payment processor serving thousands of merchants. While more focused on e-commerce than in-store QR, both companies operate merchant-facing payment aggregation/processing infrastructure in Japan and compete for the same enterprise clients across multiple payment methods.
• Digital Garage (Veritrans): Digital Garage's Veritrans business provides payment processing and financial services for Japanese merchants. As a publicly traded Japanese fintech with payment gateway offerings, it competes with NETSTARS for enterprise payment contracts and serves overlapping merchant segments including cashless and cross-border payments.
• LINE Pay: LINE Pay (now part of LINE Yahoo) was an early NETSTARS investor and partner but operates its own merchant-facing QR payment service within the LINE super-app ecosystem. With LINE's massive Japanese user base, LINE Pay represents both a competing payment method integrated into StarPay and a potential direct competitor for merchant relationships.
• SBPS (SoftBank Payment Service): SBPS provides comprehensive payment processing services for Japanese merchants across credit cards, QR codes, and electronic money. As a large, well-capitalized payment aggregator owned by SoftBank, SBPS competes directly with NETSTARS for multi-payment merchant contracts and offers comparable aggregation capabilities across domestic and international payment methods.

Broad incumbents

• Alipay+ (Ant Group): Alipay+ is both a NETSTARS partner (integrated into StarPay) and a broader incumbent in cross-border Asian payments, connecting 6 countries and 8+ payment apps. As the underlying wallet ecosystem, Alipay+ could potentially offer merchant acceptance directly, competing with NETSTARS's gateway aggregation value-add.
• UnionPay International: UnionPay International operates China's dominant card and QR payment network with global acceptance. NETSTARS integrates UnionPay QR codes, but UnionPay's scale and direct merchant relationships across Asia could enable it to disintermediate third-party gateways for Chinese payment acceptance in markets like Japan.
• PayPal (Braintree): PayPal/Braintree provides global payment gateway infrastructure serving merchants across 200+ markets. While focused on online rather than in-store QR payments, PayPal's gateway capabilities and recent stablecoin (PYUSD) initiatives position it as a broad incumbent competing for cross-border and digital payment processing that NETSTARS targets.
• Checkout.com: Checkout.com is a global payment gateway serving enterprise merchants with multi-method acceptance and unified settlement. While more focused on card and online payments than in-store QR, its enterprise-grade infrastructure and recent APAC expansion create competitive overlap with NETSTARS for international merchants requiring unified payment orchestration.

Emerging players

• Tranglo: Tranglo is a cross-border payment network operator connecting Asian payment ecosystems, including remittance and disbursement infrastructure across Southeast Asia. As an emerging player in cross-border QR and wallet interoperability, Tranglo competes with NETSTARS's StarPay-Global for bank partnerships enabling international payment flows between Japan and ASEAN markets.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Kouhou_NSS
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCsOpGyxY4Om_SC6OwjKR8rA
• Facebookfacebook.com/netstars.co.jp

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Subsidiaries4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds8 records

Investors14 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about NETSTARS