What EPOS Card does

EPOS Card Co., Ltd. (株式会社エポスカード) is a Japanese Visa-branded credit card issuer and wholly-owned subsidiary of Marui Group Co., Ltd., founded in 2004 and headquartered in Nakano, Tokyo. The company issues a multi-tiered card portfolio — Standard, Gold, Platinum, TOGETHER (charity-linked), Owner (business), and CRYPTO (Bitbank-co-issued) — anchored on a lifetime free annual membership value proposition targeting mass-market Japanese consumers including first-time cardholders, students, and young adults. Its technical core sits on the Visa payment network with a broad mobile-wallet integration layer (Apple Pay, Google Pay, PayPay, Rakuten Pay, d-payment, QUICPay, Mobile Suica), 3D Secure authentication via Visa Secure, and a proprietary 24-hour instant-issuance smartphone digital card product.

The business is built around three primary revenue streams: interchange and transaction fees from Visa-network merchant activity, interest income from cash advances and revolving/installment credit (4.5%-13.5% APR across lending limits), and business credit services via the EPOS Owner Card. Distribution operates through a hybrid of self-serve online applications (eposcard.co.jp), physical Marui retail department stores nationwide, and a co-branded card portfolio with artists (AiNA THE END), sports clubs (Nankatsu SC), zoos (Adventure World), and cause-based organizations (COTEN). The product ecosystem is reinforced by EPOS Net, the EPOS mobile app, EpoToku Plaza (~10,000 merchant discount partners), an in-house ATM network, and add-on services including ROOM iD rent payment, dental credit, ETC cards, prepaid/virtual cards, and bundled insurance.

Strategically, the 2024-2026 period is defined by an aggressive product diversification push: the 2024 digital card rollout accelerated onboarding, the 2026 EPOS CRYPTO Card with Bitbank established a regulated first-mover position in crypto-settled consumer credit, and a series of niche co-branded cards broadened the addressable audience into fan and cause-affinity microsegments. The company has disclosed PCI DSS compliance posture and SSL-based web security but does not market any proprietary AI/ML capabilities in the available materials. EPOS Card remains a Japan-only operator with no global footprint claim.

Name

EPOS Card

Legal name

株式会社エポスカード (EPOS Card Co., Ltd.)

Website

https://eposcard.co.jp

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

EPOS Card Co., Ltd. is a Japan-based Visa-branded credit card issuer and wholly-owned subsidiary of Marui Group, serving mass-market Japanese consumers with lifetime free membership across Standard, Gold, Platinum, business, and crypto-enabled card tiers distributed through Marui stores, online channels, and co-branded partnerships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Consumer Credit Cards

NAICS

Credit Card Issuing (522210), Credit Card Issuing (52221)

SIC

Personal Credit Institutions (6141), Miscellaneous Business Credit Institution (6159)

akta.pro primary industry

Business / Corporate Credit Cards (FSAKABAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Card Issuing Platforms (Issuer Processing) (FSAGABAD), Crypto Card Issuing & Card Programs (Debit/Credit/Prepaid) (FSADAIAC), Virtual Card Issuance & Tokenized Corporate Cards (THACAJAA), Co-Branded Credit Card Partnerships (Issuers/Networks) (THABAKAD)

Keywords

• Consumer credit cards
• Visa payment cards
• Co-branded credit cards
• Retail financial services
• Credit card issuing

Headquarters

HQ city

Tokyo

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Interchange and Transaction Fees: Merchants pay interchange fees on every card transaction processed through the Visa network. This is the primary revenue driver for card issuers like EPOS Card.
2. Interest Income from Lending: Revenue from cash advances (cashing), revolving credit, and installment payments. EPOS Card offers borrowing services with interest rates ranging from 13.5% for 1 million yen limit to 4.5% for 5 million yen limit.
3. Business Owner Card Services: EPOS Owner Card targets corporate customers with business financing needs, generating interest income and annual fees from business credit services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

EPOS Card issues Visa-branded consumer credit cards in Japan, with a standard card that carries lifetime-free admission and annual membership. The portfolio includes premium Gold and Platinum tiers, a charitable TOGETHER Card, a business-focused Owner Card for corporate representatives, and an EPOS CRYPTO Card that settles balances from Bitcoin holdings in partnership with Bitbank. The company monetizes through interchange and transaction fees on Visa-network purchases plus interest income from revolving credit, cash advances, installment payments, and business lending.

Product overview

EPOS Card operates as a credit card issuer within the Marui Group (丸井グループ), offering a multi-tiered card portfolio centered on its core EPOS Visa card with lifetime free membership. The product lineup spans standard, Gold, and Platinum tiers, supplemented by specialized variants including the charitable EPOS TOGETHER Card, business-focused EPOS Owner Card, and crypto-enabled EPOS CRYPTO Card. The ecosystem extends through companion platforms including EPOS Net (member portal), EPOS Owner Net (business portal), the EPOS App (mobile application), EpoToku Plaza (discount network with ~10,000 partners), and the EPOS Point UP Site (enhanced rewards portal). Add-on services include prepaid cards, ETC cards, virtual cards for online security, ATM access, rent payment (ROOM iD), dental financing, and bundled insurance coverage. The company also issues co-branded cards with partners such as COTEN, Nankatsu SC, and Adventure World, targeting specific consumer segments through themed designs and cause-related benefits.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• エポスNet (EPOS Net): Online member service portal for EPOS Card members providing account management, point tracking, and transaction history.
• エポスプラチナカード (EPOS Platinum Card)
• エポスゴールドカード (EPOS Gold Card)
• エポスTOGETHERカード (EPOS TOGETHER Card)
• エポスオーナーカード (EPOS Owner Card)
• EPOS CRYPTO Card
• Animal Epos Card
• COTEN Card
• Nankatsu SC Epos Card
• AiNA THE END Epos Card

Products and services

• EPOS Card (Standard Visa card) Standard Visa-branded consumer credit card with lifetime free admission and annual membership. Earns EPOS Points at a 0.5% rate on Visa purchases, supports Apple Pay / Google Pay / other mobile wallets, provides shopping insurance and fraud protection, and grants access to the EpoToku Plaza discount network. Targeted at everyday Japanese consumers including students and first-time card users.
• EPOS Gold Card Premium mid-tier Visa credit card offering enhanced EPOS Points accumulation, free airport lounge access, and expanded member services compared with the standard card. Typically offered as an upgrade path to existing EPOS Card holders based on usage history.
• EPOS Platinum Card Top-tier Visa credit card providing Priority Pass lounge access free of charge, premium concierge services, and comprehensive travel insurance benefits. Positioned one rank above Gold for high-spending Japanese consumers.
• EPOS TOGETHER Card Co-branded Visa credit card with lifetime free admission and annual membership in which a portion of card spending automatically funds donations to social causes. Targeted at Japanese consumers who want everyday spending to contribute to charitable impact.
• EPOS Owner Card (Business credit card) Business credit card issued to Japanese corporate representatives (法人代表者) who hold an existing EPOS Platinum or Gold card. Provides dedicated business spending limits of ¥1M–¥5M, borrowing services with tiered interest rates from 13.5% (¥1M limit) to 4.5% (¥5M limit), a separate point system from personal EPOS cards, and integration with Money Forward Cloud and Yayoi accounting software. Accessed through the EPOS Owner Net business portal.
• EPOS CRYPTO Card Cryptocurrency-enabled Visa credit card co-developed with Bitbank (a Japan FSA-licensed cryptocurrency exchange). Allows cardholders to settle monthly bills directly from Bitcoin holdings without first converting to Japanese yen, and earns 0.5% cashback in Bitcoin, Ethereum, or Astar. Marketed as Japan's first credit product from a licensed exchange to enable direct crypto-asset settlement on everyday spending.
• Animal Epos Card (Adventure World co-branded) Co-branded Visa credit card with Adventure World zoo in Wakayama Prefecture, launched in collaboration with Marui Group and OHANA. 0.1% of card spending is donated as animal meal costs using unsellable agricultural products, and ¥1,000 is donated per new card membership. Positions the card as part of Marui Group's Animal Project, combining consumer credit with animal welfare support.
• COTEN Card Co-branded Visa credit card issued by EPOS Card with COTEN and Marui Group, with a built-in donation mechanism. ¥1,000 is donated per new card activation and 0.1% of card spending is channeled to support COTEN's world history database project. Partnership stems from a capital and business alliance established in June 2023.
• Nankatsu SC Epos Card Official club credit card for Nankatsu SC, a Japanese soccer club competing in the Kanto Soccer League Division 1 with the goal of reaching the J-League. Features original Captain Tsubasa artwork and donates 0.1% of card spending to support the club. Issued in partnership with Marui Group with an accompanying pop-up shop at Kitashinju Marui.
• AiNA THE END Epos Card Co-branded Visa credit card collaboration with Japanese artist AiNA THE END, featuring two exclusive card designs. Cardholders receive a Gadget Pouch for purchases over ¥100,000, a Limited Edition Mesh Bag for fan-club version holders spending over ¥200,000, and a ¥500 discount on first-year fan-club membership fees. Designed to drive fan-community engagement and spending.

Quantifiable outcome

• 0.5% point earning rate on all Visa transactions (1 point per 200 yen spent)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration11 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• AiNA THE ENDminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 June 2026Epos Card launched a co-branded credit card collaboration with artist AiNA THE END featuring two exclusive card designs targeting her fanbase. The card offers spending-based rewards including a Gadget Pouch for purchases over ¥100,000 and a Limited Edition Mesh Bag for fan club version holders spending over ¥200,000, along with a ¥500 discount on first-year fan club membership fees.
• BitbankcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 27 April 2026Bitbank, a licensed cryptocurrency exchange regulated by Japan's Financial Services Agency, partnered with EPOS Card to launch the EPOS CRYPTO Card on April 27, 2026. This enables users to settle monthly bills directly from Bitcoin holdings without converting to fiat first, offering 0.5% cashback in Bitcoin, Ethereum, or Astar. Described as Japan's first such credit product from a licensed exchange, this represents a significant innovation in integrating cryptocurrency into daily spending while remaining FSA-compliant.
• Adventure WorldminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 March 2026Adventure World zoo in Wakayama Prefecture collaborated with Marui Group and OHANA to launch the 'Animal Epos Card' on March 20, 2026. Cardholders can support animals through shopping with 0.1% of spending donated as animal meal costs. The initiative uses agricultural products that cannot be sold in the market as animal food through OHANA's platform, reducing food waste while providing fresh meals to animals.
• COTENminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 February 2026COTEN announced the launch of the 'COTEN Card' issued by Epos Card in partnership with the Marui Group. The card features a built-in donation mechanism that channels 1,000 yen per new card activation and 0.1% of spending to support COTEN's world history database project. The partnership stems from a capital and business alliance established in June 2023.
• Nankatsu SCminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 February 2026Nankatsu SC launched the 'Nankatsu SC Epos Card' starting February 20, 2026. The card features original 'Captain Tsubasa' artwork and donates 0.1% of card spending to support the club, which competes in the Kanto Soccer League Division 1 with the goal of reaching the J-League.
• OHANAminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOHANA provides the platform for the Animal Epos Card initiative that redirects unsellable agricultural products as animal food for Adventure World zoo, enabling EPOS Card's sustainability-focused co-branded product.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• Bitbank: FSA-licensed Japanese cryptocurrency exchange partnered with EPOS to launch the EPOS CRYPTO Card. Directly relevant as the infrastructure and regulatory counterparty for EPOS's crypto card initiative.
• Marui Group: Parent conglomerate operating the Marui department store chain that supplies EPOS Card's retail distribution and brand ecosystem. Not a peer in the competitive sense, but the strategic anchor for EPOS Card's business model.

Emerging players

• PayPay Card: Issuer of PayPay-linked credit cards under the SoftBank / Yahoo Japan ecosystem. Competes with EPOS in mobile-first card acquisition and QR-code payment integration in Japan.
• SBI Card: Emerging Japanese credit card issuer within the SBI Holdings fintech ecosystem. Competes with EPOS for online-first consumer credit card customers in Japan.

Broad incumbents

• JCB (Japan Credit Bureau): Japan's dominant domestic card network and major issuer. Overlaps with EPOS as a competitor at the issuing level and as the operator of JCB-brand cards in the same Japanese consumer market.

Direct peers

• Mitsubishi UFJ Nicos (MUFG Card): One of Japan's largest credit card issuers under MUFG, with consumer and corporate card products. Comparable scale, multi-tier offering, and Japan-only focus similar to EPOS Card.
• Sumitomo Mitsui Card: Major Japanese credit card issuer under Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group, offering consumer and corporate Visa/Mastercard products. Comparable to EPOS across Standard/Gold/Platinum tiers and same-day digital issuance.
• AEON Financial Service: Japanese consumer finance and credit card group anchored in AEON's retail ecosystem. Comparable retail-credit integration model and tiered card offerings similar to EPOS Card's Marui-driven model.
• Credit Saison: Major Japanese consumer credit card issuer with tiered card products (Standard, Gold, Platinum) and partnership/affinity card programs. Direct competitor to EPOS in the Japanese consumer credit card market.
• Rakuten Card: Japan's largest credit card issuer by transaction volume, offering cashback (typically 1.0%) and Rakuten ecosystem integration. Directly competes with EPOS Card in the Japanese consumer credit card market with similar online acquisition and co-branded strategies.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/epos_card
• Facebookfacebook.com/eposcard

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 EPOS Card