Torus Partners With TIS to Bring Next-Gen Card Analytics to Japan
Torus has officially entered Japan with the launch of the “Profit Improvement Support Service for Card Issuers and Acquirers,” created in partnership with TIS Inc, one of Japan’s most established payments technology groups.
For us at Startup Wise Guys, this milestone is especially meaningful. Torus joined our SaaS Milan batch back in 2021, and from day one, the team set out to tackle one of the most challenging problems in financial services: bringing clarity and profitability insights to global card transaction fees. Watching their evolution from an early-stage Baltic startup into a global fintech intelligence platform has been a masterclass in focus, execution, and ambition.
Over the past few months, 32 participants, 14 teams, and 18 individual founders have been developing their solutions in MedTech, EdTech, FashionTech, FinTech, PropTech, and other industries. Most of them are building B2B SaaS products, moving from idea to MVP and beyond.
‘The program helped me expand my network and meet new peers and mentors – from local view and knowledge and skills to regional and global ones. Also, I learnt and tested the b2b approach and refined my product, and have interest from corporates and SMEs.” – Program participant
A Strategic expansion into a market ready for transparency
Japan is undergoing a major shift. With the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) increasing requirements for interchange fee disclosure, the country is moving toward the same transparency standards that reshaped Europe’s payments market.
Torus is arriving at exactly the right time. Their SaaS analytics platform already used by financial institutions in 33 countries – helps issuers and acquirers visualize revenue structures, identify cost drivers, and optimize profitability at a granular level. Together with TIS, Torus is bringing this capability to Japan through a service designed specifically for international brand card transactions.
What the new service delivers
The joint Torus and TIS service offers Japanese financial institutions:
- Card Network Invoice Analysis: Clear visibility into scheme fees, costs, and revenue drivers.
- Transaction-Level Profitability: Daily forecasts and revenue analysis using AI-powered data extraction.
- Dashboard Reporting: Intuitive profitability analysis for issuers and acquirers.
- Expert-Led Improvements: Practical recommendations to drive sustainable revenue growth.
The service was soft-launched earlier this year with Orient Corporation, one of Japan’s major consumer finance companies, where it demonstrated measurable performance improvements before rolling out to the broader market.
Why This Collaboration Matters
TIS brings decades of experience running Japan’s payments infrastructure, holding roughly 50% market share in core credit card system development. Torus brings deep expertise in scheme fee analysis and a platform refined across Europe, a region known for its advanced transparency and regulatory standards.Together, they are introducing a new category of data-driven decision-making to Japan’s payments ecosystem.
Looking ahead
TIS and Torus plan to onboard 30 Japanese issuers and acquirers by 2030, followed by expansion into ASEAN markets starting in 2026.
For us, this launch is also a proud reflection of the Startup Wise Guys ecosystem: a founder team that entered our Milan program with a bold vision is now influencing one of the world’s most advanced financial markets. Torus’ trajectory, from early acceleration to global scale, highlights exactly the kind of long-term, international growth we love to see from our alumni.
