How does GMO Pepabo's acquisition affect SmartEC users?

While the primary immediate change is the company name to GMO SmartEC, users can expect enhanced features through integration with GMO Pepabo's infrastructure.

What are the benefits for medium-to-large EC operators?

They can adopt high-end mobile UI/UX built on GMO's robust infrastructure, aiming for higher conversion rates and better scalability.

When will this M&A be completed?

The acquisition is scheduled to be completed on July 1, 2026, when SmartEC officially becomes a consolidated subsidiary.

GMO Pepabo to Acquire Full-Screen EC Platform SmartEC — Accelerating Expansion into Mid-to-Large Markets via Enhanced Mobile UX

Published May 19, 2026 3:03 AM ・ Updated Jun 13, 2026 11:58 PM ・ 3 min read ・ Source: PR TIMES

GMO Pepabo Co., Ltd. has announced the acquisition of SmartEC, a provider of mobile-specialized EC platforms, to make it a consolidated subsidiary. Effective July 1, 2026, the company will be renamed GMO SmartEC Co., Ltd. This move aims to combine technologies to strengthen competitiveness in the mobile EC sector and accelerate growth in the enterprise market.

GMO Pepabo Co., Ltd. (President & CEO: Kentaro Sato), part of the GMO Internet Group, has decided to acquire shares in SmartEC Co., Ltd. (President & CEO: Takeshi Yamashita), the provider of the smartphone-oriented full-screen EC platform 'SmartEC', making it a consolidated subsidiary.

The share transfer is scheduled for July 1, 2026. Following the execution, SmartEC will change its name to 'GMO SmartEC Co., Ltd.' and begin operations as a member of the GMO Internet Group.

Background of the Acquisition: Under its mission to 'increase human output,' GMO Pepabo offers services in rental servers, domains, e-commerce, and handmade crafts. Recently, the company has been focusing on adapting to smartphone-centric purchasing behavior. Conversely, SmartEC possesses unique UI/UX technologies that realize new purchasing paths suitable for the mobile-native generation.

Future Developments: By fusing the technologies and know-how of both companies, they plan to promote: - Development of smartphone-optimized UI/UX specialized by product/industry. - Expansion of features for medium-to-large e-commerce operators. - Support for improving the Conversion Rate (CVR) for e-commerce operators.

The goal is to evolve from traditional e-commerce construction support into a provider of 'experiences that make consumers want to buy.'

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Source: PR TIMES
Category: Partnership
Products / services: SmartEC / minne

GMO Pepabo to Acquire Full-Screen EC Platform SmartEC — Accelerating Expansion into Mid-to-Large Markets via Enhanced Mobile UX

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