Soft Space & JCB launch the JCB payment gateway in Malaysia

By Gloria Mathias

Soft Space, the global FinTech-as-a-Service (FaaS) provider, and JCB International have announced the launch of the JCB payment gateway in Malaysia.

This strategic partnership between Soft Space and JCB was signed in January 2022 and follows their successful central bank digital currency (CBDC) trial in December 2023, as well as the recent agreement to enable JCB acceptance for all HLB merchants.

Leveraging JCB’s robust global network and Soft Space’s technical expertise, the JCB payment gateway aligns with the global shift towards diversified digital transactions, meeting the market’s demand for secure payment options. In this case, Soft Space provides a straightforward Application Programming Interface (API) specification that enables acquirers and payment facilitators to offer their retail merchants access quickly and efficiently to JCB’s network.

“The launch of the JCB payment gateway complements the fact that Malaysia is the most visited country in Southeast Asia in 2023. Not only will this make cross-border payments more convenient, secure, and seamless, it aligns well with our broader goal to promote Soft Space’s technology in other verticals such as transit and in-flight payments globally,” said Joel Tay, Chief Executive Officer of Soft Space.

Yoshiki Kaneko, President and Chief Executive Officer of JCB International said, “We are delighted to launch the new function together with Soft Space to seize the growing business opportunity in the e-commerce business while providing a better experience for our JCB cardmembers and merchants. This also marks another milestone in the strategic partnership with Soft Space, giving us even greater confidence that our collaboration with Malaysia’s leading fintech is a key to success.”

Following the onboarding of senangPay, a Malaysian payment facilitator, as the first JCB payment gateway member, Soft Space will accelerate the onboarding of other acquirers and payment facilitators in the APAC region.

Mansor Abd Rahman, CEO of senangPay said, “Offering diverse payment options, while allowing consumers to pay using their preferred methods, not only expands senangPay’s range of payment solutions but also enables our merchants to connect with Japan’s tourists and expatriates in Malaysia.”