互联网平台布局支付：构建生态闭环，重塑行业竞争格局

Core Insights - The article discusses the strategic shift of various companies, including Shanghai Xunhui, Tongcheng Group, Xiaohongshu, and Ruyi Holdings, towards acquiring payment licenses since 2025, highlighting the importance of payment as a critical component of the commercial ecosystem [2][3] Group 1: Reasons for Payment License Acquisition - Companies are pursuing payment licenses to mitigate risks associated with external payment channels, ensuring compliance and solidifying their operational foundations amid stricter regulations and limited license availability [4] - Having a payment license allows companies to create a closed loop of funds and information, effectively avoiding compliance risks such as "two clearing" [5] - The strategic aim of acquiring payment licenses is to gain control over core data, which is crucial for understanding consumer behavior and optimizing marketing strategies [5][6] Group 2: Competitive Landscape - The competition in the payment industry is evolving, with payment licenses transitioning from mere access tools to essential entry points for ecosystems, focusing on scene integration, data value extraction, and user experience enhancement [2][6] - The entry of platform companies into the payment sector is reshaping the competitive landscape, moving from a "duopoly" to a "multipolar" development, creating differentiated competitive barriers in niche markets [8][9] - Established players like Alipay and WeChat Pay dominate the market, making it challenging for new entrants to achieve profitability quickly due to the need for significant resource investment [7] Group 3: Challenges and Future Outlook - Companies face compliance and competitive challenges post-acquisition of payment licenses, including potential issues with merchant audits and regulatory trust, as well as the need to align corporate culture and team integration [7] - The entry of platform companies into the payment space may lead to a reduction in the market share of smaller payment institutions, which lack the ecological support to thrive [9] - The future of the payment industry may see further differentiation and the emergence of new payment giants, although this remains uncertain [9]