e-commerce
Bandai Co., Ltd & Xsolla partner to launch the “Tamaverse Ticket Shop” online
Mumbai: Xsolla, a global video game commerce company, has successfully helped power the Tokyo-based game Tamagotchi Uni, a Bandai Co., Ltd. service offered through the Xsolla Web Shop technology. Specializing in advanced game payment solutions for developers across various platforms, including mobile, PC, cloud, and the web, Xsolla is committed to enhancing player engagement and fulfilling the needs of gamers around the globe.
This partnership is set to provide “Tamagotchi Uni” users with a convenient payment environment for purchasing and downloading digital content, enabling them to play and pay for their gaming experience in any way they want. Additionally, leveraging this solution to support payment solutions in various countries worldwide contributes to securing global reach, scale, and revenue for “Tamagotchi Uni”.
Xsolla president David Stelzer, expressed his excitement about the collaboration: “Partnering with Bandai Co., Ltd. to integrate our cutting-edge payment solutions into ‘Tamagotchi Uni’ represents a significant milestone. This partnership goes beyond technology integration; it’s about enhancing the gaming experience for users worldwide and expanding ‘Tamagotchi Uni’s revenue streams.”
e-commerce
American Express to acquire AI startup Hyper to boost automation
Deal targets expense management as AI reshapes corporate spending tools.
MUMBAI: From receipts to robots, the expense sheet is getting a brain upgrade as American Express moves to bring artificial intelligence into the heart of corporate spending. The company has announced plans to acquire Hyper, a relatively young but fast-rising startup founded in 2022 that builds AI-powered agents capable of organising expenses, generating reports, verifying compliance with budgets and policies, and nudging users with timely reminders. The deal, expected to close in the second quarter of 2026, underscores a growing shift among financial institutions to automate traditionally manual, time-heavy workflows.
Hyper counts Sam Altman among its backers, adding a layer of Silicon Valley credibility to the acquisition. While financial details remain undisclosed, the strategic intent is clear: deepen automation capabilities and sharpen American Express’s position in the competitive corporate spending ecosystem.
The two companies are not strangers. They previously collaborated in 2024 on a co-branded credit card product, suggesting that the acquisition is less a cold buy and more an extension of an existing relationship. With this move, American Express is effectively bringing that capability in-house, aiming to embed AI directly into its commercial services stack.
Chief executive Stephen Squeri had already signalled the direction of travel in a recent shareholder letter, describing AI as a “structural shift” in how businesses operate. The Hyper acquisition appears to be a direct response to that shift, particularly in expense management, where processes such as approvals, compliance checks and reporting remain ripe for automation.
Alongside the acquisition, the company is also expanding its product suite. A recently launched business credit card offers cashback and benefits at an annual fee of $295, with another card expected later this year moves that complement its broader push into commercial services.
Taken together, the strategy points to a future where managing expenses may require fewer spreadsheets and more algorithms. For American Express, the bet is simple, if businesses are rethinking how work gets done, the tools that power that work need to evolve just as quickly.
