Adyen wins SNKRDUNK payments deal for SODA expansion

Adyen has been selected by SODA to handle global payments for SNKRDUNK, one of Japan's largest fashion and collectibles marketplaces.

SNKRDUNK is a consumer-to-consumer marketplace for high-value goods, including trading cards, branded bags, jewellery and fashion items. SODA chose Adyen to strengthen fraud prevention, improve authorisation rates and make payments smoother for users as the platform expands internationally.

The deal adds a payments partner for a marketplace that says it has more than 6 million monthly users. SNKRDUNK began as a sneaker marketplace and has since expanded into apparel and trading cards. All items traded on the platform are authenticated to curb counterfeit sales.

SODA adopted Adyen's payments platform across its global eCommerce operations in February 2026. It plans to extend the technology gradually to physical stores worldwide as it broadens its retail footprint beyond online sales.

Fraud balance

A central issue for the marketplace has been how to stop fraudulent transactions without rejecting legitimate customers. The challenge is especially acute in categories where buyers want to complete purchases quickly and where individual items can command high prices.

Traditional fraud tools can produce false declines, blocking genuine transactions along with suspicious ones. For marketplaces, that can mean lost sales, frustrated users and weaker customer relationships, particularly when shoppers do not return after a failed purchase.

To address that problem, SODA has deployed Adyen Uplift, a payment optimisation suite that uses artificial intelligence to automate fraud prevention, raise revenue and reduce processing costs, according to Adyen. The company says the system draws on payments data processed across its platform to distinguish genuine transactions from fraudulent ones more accurately.

The agreement also centralises payment management for SODA's online and physical operations under one provider. It combines gateway services, risk management and acquiring, reducing the number of external suppliers and payment relationships SODA needs to manage.

Retail expansion

For SODA, the operational benefits appear to be a significant part of the appeal. A single integration can also make it easier to add payment methods in different markets, including major card networks and Japanese options such as PayPay.

Combining payment data from eCommerce and stores could give the marketplace operator a broader view of customer behaviour across regions. That may help SODA understand which payment methods shoppers prefer and where checkout processes are causing friction.

Japan's resale and collectables market has attracted growing interest as consumers spend more on limited-edition sneakers, trading cards and luxury accessories. Businesses in the sector face pressure to manage fraud tightly because high-value, trend-driven goods can attract bad actors as well as enthusiastic buyers.

That makes payments an important function for platforms operating across borders, where authorisation rates, local payment preferences and fraud patterns can differ sharply by market. For a consumer marketplace, small changes in approval rates can have an outsized effect on sales volumes and user retention.

"In a C2C marketplace that handles high-value, trend-sensitive products, it is extremely important that payments are smooth and that users can buy what they want at the moment they want it," said Satoshi Kaji, Executive Officer and COO of SODA Inc. "Balancing risk management and driving conversion has been a long-standing challenge, but we are confident that Adyen's data-driven solution will enable us to achieve safe and secure purchases for our customers. Going forward, we look forward to working with Adyen as a strong partner as we expand into physical stores and global markets using payments as a force multiplier for the business."

Adyen has been building its presence among global merchants seeking a single provider across multiple markets and sales channels. It works with large multinational businesses across retail, technology and online services.

For SNKRDUNK, the tie-up reflects the growing overlap between marketplace expansion, fraud controls and payment approval performance. In sectors where demand can spike around scarce products, the payment step has become central to whether a transaction is completed or lost.

"We are truly honored that Adyen's platform has been selected by SODA," said Adam Brownstein, Japan Country Manager at Adyen. "For companies like SODA that are pursuing global expansion with speed and agility, payments are no longer just a back-office function, but a strategic tool for accelerating growth. We are confident that Adyen's technology, powered by Adyen Uplift, will transform risk management into a conversion engine that serves as the foundation for SODA's continued growth."