News

Infinite Reality Acquires Napster In $207 Million Deal

The acquisition aims to transform Napster into an interactive music platform with virtual events, AI tools, and more.

Published

1 year ago

March 26, 2025

infinite reality acquires napster in $207 million deal

Digital experience specialist Infinite Reality has officially announced its acquisition of Napster for $207 million. The deal is set to transform the iconic music service into a next-generation platform that goes beyond streaming, integrating social engagement and interactive audience experiences.

Napster, one of the longest-running digital music services, has paid out over $1 billion in royalties to musicians and songwriters over the years, and currently boasts a library of more than 110 million high-fidelity tracks. Now, under Infinite Reality’s ownership, the service is poised for a major evolution.

The plan is to reshape Napster into a more interactive and socially driven music platform. Infinite Reality intends to leverage its expertise in extended reality (XR), artificial intelligence (AI), and esports to create a space where artists can foster deeper connections with their fans. This initiative will integrate features like virtual concerts, social listening events, and gamified experiences to enhance engagement.

Some key elements of this transformation include:

3D Virtual Spaces: Artists will be able to create their own branded virtual environments where fans can attend exclusive events, concerts, and listening parties.
E-Commerce Integration: The platform will enable the sale of physical and digital merchandise, event tickets, and exclusive content.
AI-Powered Tools: Advanced AI-driven customer service and analytics will help artists better understand and interact with their audience.
Esports & Entertainment Crossovers: Leveraging Infinite Reality’s audience network, which includes the Drone Racing League (DRL) and major esports organizations, Napster aims to tap into gaming and digital entertainment communities.
Enhanced Monetization For Artists: New sponsorship and advertising opportunities will help artists unlock additional revenue streams.

“By acquiring Napster, we’re paving a path to a brighter future for artists, fans, and the music industry at large,” said John Acunto, CEO of Infinite Reality. “The artist-fan relationship is evolving, and we want to provide tools that allow for deeper connections and new revenue opportunities”.

Also Read: Best Music Streaming Services In The Middle East

Napster’s current CEO, Jon Vlassopulos, will stay on in his role while also expanding his leadership position at Infinite Reality. Since taking the helm in 2022, Vlassopulos has spearheaded Napster’s transformation into an innovative digital platform, drawing from his experience at Roblox, where he helped bring immersive music experiences to over 100 million users.

Reflecting on Napster’s history, Vlassopulos remarked, “Napster revolutionized music in the ’90s, and with Infinite Reality, we’re ready to do it again. Music streaming has remained largely unchanged, but we’re entering an immersive era where fans want more than just passive listening. Imagine stepping into a virtual venue, interacting with your favorite artist, and purchasing exclusive merchandise — all in one place. This is the next evolution of music engagement”.

News

Visa’s Return To Syria Starts With A Test And A Bank In Lebanon

Foreign visitors will be the first users to benefit, but whether Syria’s own banks and cardholders follow is still an open question.

Published

1 week ago

August 27, 2026

Dana Saadeh

visa's return to syria starts with a test and a bank in lebanon

Visa is returning to Syria. Its first live international card transaction in the country was a test rather than a launch, and the milestone event ran through a Lebanese bank.

The acquirer (the bank on the merchant’s side of a card payment) was Fransabank Lebanon, with Paymera as the other named partner. Nadim Moujaes, who heads a Fransabank Group subsidiary, describes the test as both the culmination of “longstanding efforts to link Syria back to international payment networks” and “the first step in a larger path”.

Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa makes the first electronic payment in Syria using a @Visa card at a store in Damascus, following the lifting of US sanctions on Syria. pic.twitter.com/lpAN7nQ6Fc

— Tech Magazine (@TechMGZN) August 27, 2026

“We are excited to have successfully tested live transactions today as we plan to enable international visitors to use their Visa cards while in Syria,” says Leila Serhan, Visa’s senior vice president and group country manager for the North Africa, Levant and Pakistan region. Although a significant first step, that plan doesn’t come with a hard date for when a visitor’s card will work normally.

Mohammed Safwat Raslan, governor of the Central Bank of Syria, says the test paves the way for international card acceptance in Syria and that maintaining strong compliance, risk management and operational controls will remain essential. Serhan likewise stresses that Visa has worked within applicable legal, regulatory and compliance requirements. For a test transaction, it seems there was a great deal of attention paid to the rules, with the entire operation being carefully managed.

Also Read: Lebanon’s 5G Era Begins With 150 Stations And A $1M Budget

The test is the latest step in a sequence that began in December 2025, when Visa announced a strategic roadmap to support Syria’s integration into the global digital economy. In February 2026 it hosted its first industry gathering of banks, ecosystem partners and policymakers in Damascus and, the same month, signed an agreement with Syria’s Ministry of Communications and Information Technology in San Francisco.

Michel Kattouah, Paymera’s CEO, called the test “the return of international card acceptance,” but while that’s positive news, there’s no word yet on when a Syrian bank will issue a Visa card to a Syrian customer.