Research on the Relationship Between Strategic Transformation and Competitiveness in the Third-Party Payment Enterprise

China’s third-party payment industry has developed for less than 30 years, yet it has entered a period of rapid growth in terms of transaction volume, frequency, and diversity of payment methods, driven by the rise of e-commerce. As third-party payment becomes indispensable across a wide range of business scenarios, the industry is also facing increasing changes and challenges. In this evolving landscape, it is imperative for companies to respond to regulatory pressures and industry trends, assess internal and external resources, and formulate transformation strategies aligned with their long-term development to maintain sustainable competitive advantages. This paper takes Lakala as a case study to analyze its three strategic transformation stages—from convenient public services, to acquiring market expansion, to digital operational services. It reveals how Lakala enhances its competitiveness through product innovation, channel development, and ecosystem collaboration. The study explores the intrinsic relationship between strategic transformation and corporate competitiveness, offering insights for peer enterprises and contributing to both theoretical research and practical development in the industry.