Sumitomo Mitsui Card Takes Controlling Stake in V Point
Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group, Sumitomo Mitsui Card Company, Culture Convenience Club, and CCCMK Holdings have reached an agreement regarding the capital restructuring of CCCMKHD, which operates "V Point."
Sumitomo Mitsui Card will acquire additional shares of CCCMKHD, making CCCMKHD a subsidiary of Sumitomo Mitsui Card. Also, through CCCMKHD's acquisition of some of its treasury shares from CCC, the capital structure of CCCMKHD will change from the current "Sumitomo Mitsui Card 20%: Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group 20%: CCC 60%" to "Sumitomo Mitsui Card 55%: Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group 25%: CCC 20%." This capital restructuring is scheduled to be executed by the end of March 2026.
Furthermore, CCCMKHD's company name will be changed to "V Point Marketing".
1. Purpose of Capital Restructuring
SMBC Group and CCC Group will conduct the capital restructuring of CCCMKHD in order to elevate "V Point" to become "the only common point program led by a financial group." Going forward, "V Point" will leverage the comprehensive capabilities of SMBC Group with Sumitomo Mitsui Card as the primary driver, aiming to become the "No.1 point program" and achieve "No.1 database marketing," while executing strategies and market development to provide new value.
Specifically, SMBC Group will consolidate V Point-related apps and review the UI/UX to further improve the convenience and quality of various functions and services, aiming to provide services that meet customers' diverse needs.
Additionally, by combining SMBC Group's "customer base" with the lifestyle data of CCCMKHD, the group will fully utilize the three types of data: "financial accounts × payments × purchases," growing this into an entirely new, Japan's largest-scale database marketing business as a financial group.
This restructuring will combine SMBC Group's "overwhelming customer base" and "advanced capabilities in AI utilization and technology" with CCC Group's "capability to create experiential value" and "knowledge as a pioneer in common points and database marketing" to evolve "V Point" into the most preferred common point program for both consumers and businesses.
2. Specific Initiatives
(1) Further Enhancement of V Point Benefits and Convenience
① Improving User Convenience Through App Integration
SMBC Group will integrate the "V Point App" and "V Point Pay App," strengthen coordination with its digital services such as "Olive" and "Vpass," and further improve the convenience and quality of various functions and services.
② Enhancing User Benefits Through Highly Personalized Proposals
By combining account data and payment data held by SMBC Group with purchase data held by CCCMKHD, V Point Marketing will build a multifaceted, high-quality database. Using advanced personalized analysis with Sumitomo Mitsui Card's advanced AI engine (Universe), V Point Marketing will provide "V Coupons" that match consumer needs and deliver information that enables more beneficial usage.
③ Value Provision Unique to SMBC Group and CCC Group
As the only common point program led by a financial group, V Point Marketing will expand the scope of "V Point" usage in financial services centered on "Olive" and utilize it for non-financial business development to further enhance the value of "V Point." Additionally, by integrating the cultural value and entertainment that CCC Group possesses, V Point Marketing will expand services that create customer experiential value and provide special experiences exclusive to "V Point" customers, aiming to become an empathetic brand.
(2) Acceleration of Database Marketing Business
① Developing Digital Promotional and Advertising Services Based on Unique and Deep Customer Understanding
Through the provision of digital gift services and digital promotional services that respond to changes in customer needs accompanying digitalization, V Point Marketing will deliver the benefits of "V Point" to both consumers and businesses. It will also actively consider advertising delivery utilizing V Point-related apps, "SMBC Direct," "Vpass App," and others.
② Expansion of Service Menu for a Broader Range of Business Clients
In addition to V Point partner companies and card member stores, which were the main clients previously, V Point Marketing will expand database marketing business service provision to a broader range of businesses including manufacturers, implementing purchase promotion through cooperation and collaboration with partner companies and card member stores by providing product-level digital promotional services and owned media advertising.
(3) Evolution of SMBC Group's Store Strategy Through Collaboration with CCC Group
Through this capital restructuring, CCCMKHD, which operates "V Point," will become a subsidiary of Sumitomo Mitsui Card from CCC Group, but the collaborative relationship between CCC Group and SMBC Group remains unchanged and will be further deepened in various aspects of retail business, maintaining a strong relationship.
① Store Design Contributing to Enhanced Olive Value
Leveraging CCC Group's know-how, the partners will collaborate on planning community-based experiential events and designing stores, promoting the creation of spaces where visitors can experience the value of Olive.
② Strengthening Services for Diverse Customers
For SMBC Group customers and CCC Group customers, the partners will create stores where they can experience special, high-quality financial services, and promote the provision of new customer experiential value centered on unprecedented discoveries and exciting lifestyles, working to create new value through places and experiences essential to both finance and lifestyle.
Norbert Gehrke
