## Japan's Payment Infrastructure Gets a Major Tech Upgrade: CARDNET Partners with Global Leader

Japan's largest domestic card payment network is making significant moves to strengthen its technological foundation. CARDNET, which processes over 30 billion transactions annually and serves 106 companies across more than 889,000 point-of-sale terminals nationwide, has partnered with ACI Worldwide to overhaul its digital payment systems.

This collaboration marks a critical evolution for Japan's payments ecosystem. With CARDNET handling such massive transaction volumes, upgrading infrastructure isn't just about keeping pace—it's about ensuring the network can support the next generation of payment experiences while maintaining security and reliability.

**What's Changing**

The partnership will bring ACI Worldwide's real-time payment technology and next-generation solutions to CARDNET's entire customer base. The upgraded infrastructure is designed to handle both domestic Japanese transactions and cross-border international payments more efficiently. As Leslie Choo, managing director for APAC at ACI Worldwide, noted: "Having the right technology, collaboration, and shared vision will be key to staying ahead and providing unrivalled customer convenience" as Asia's digital payment networks become increasingly interconnected.

**Why It Matters**

This agreement reflects a broader trend across Asia's payment landscape. As digital networks become more integrated and interconnected, payment processors must continuously modernize to remain competitive. CARDNET's decision to partner with a global real-time payments specialist signals the growing importance of sophisticated infrastructure to handle emerging payment patterns and customer expectations.

The move positions CARDNET to offer its merchant partners and service providers more advanced payment solutions, from omni-commerce capabilities to enhanced fraud management and risk mitigation tools.