Rakuten wesentlich besser als Rocket
Look Out Amazon, Here Comes...Rakuten?
Japanese e-commerce firm Rakuten announced on Tuesday it is acquiring Ebates for $1 billion.
The acquisition, which Rakuten hinted at last week, is part of the Japanese company’s push to grow its base beyond its domestic market and hopefully, become a global player. Having made some $1.2 billion acquisitions to date along these lines, this is Rakuten’s most ambitious move to date.
However, investors are dubious that the company can absorb yet another foreign acquisition, much less one the size of Ebates, despite Rakuten’s strong cash position.
Then there is the ever-present Amazon, which dominates the e-commerce market in the U.S. Few believe it will falter in the face of Chinese giant Alibaba, much less a Rakuten-Ebates combo.
Rakuten Goes Forth
Not surprisingly, Rakuten says it is undaunted. For starters, it has assembled a very interesting mix of acquisitions. There is messaging app Viber, which it purchased for $900 million in February, the Canadian ebook offering Kobo, Spanish video service Wuaki.tv, Viki, a digital content platform and Buy.com.
Now it has picked up Ebates.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/erikamorphy/2014/09/...ere-comes-rakuten/
8 hours ago
The world of payments is constantly evolving. Contactless, QR codes, biometric authentication – when it comes to shopping, consumers have more options at their fingertips than ever before. But amid all of this innovation, one thing has remained consistently at the center of it all: the credit card.
More than a piece of plastic, the credit card is fundamental infrastructure – the protocol that underpins nearly every form of cashless payment. As Japan’s favorite credit card service, we at Rakuten Card see this as both a responsibility and an opportunity to support a digital society with trusted, stable, and adaptable systems.
The anchor of our cashless economy
Over the years, we have swiped, signed, inserted chips, entered PINs, and tapped our phones. But no matter how payments change on the surface, it is the credit card that continues to provide the framework that makes it all work. While the method may change, the protocol – our ability to verify trust, authorize payment, and settle at a later date – remains the same.
Today, many of us rely on our phones to make payments. Whether we’re flashing a QR code, using Apple Pay or Google Pay, or charging our e-money balance, there’s a good chance a card like Rakuten Card is providing the background infrastructure. In many ways, the plastic itself has become less visible, but more essential than ever.
https://rakuten.today/blog/...ns-for-japans-credit-card-industry.html
B2C has room to grow; B2B is an open field
At Rakuten Card, we have been working toward a target that we call Triple 3:
•§30 million cards issued (achieved in 2023)
•§¥30 trillion in annual transaction volume (reached ¥24 trillion as of the end of 2024 )
•§30% domestic market share (reached 24.6% as of the end of 2024)
I believe this is a strong foundation. But we still need to set our sights even higher. We want to continue expanding transaction volume and market share while delivering real value to our customers, towards a new medium-term goal of ¥100 billion in annual operating profit – nearly double what we achieved in 2024.
Japan’s consumer payment market is around ¥300 trillion, yet only about a third of this is currently handled through credit cards. Overall, Japan’s cashless adoption rate is hovering around 40%, leaving plenty of room to grow.
But we’re not just limiting ourselves to the B2C market; the business-to-business market is even bigger, turning over more than ¥1,100 trillion yen each year. Of that, less than ¥10 trillion is currently conducted via credit card.
https://rakuten.today/blog/...ns-for-japans-credit-card-industry.html
https://www.crunchbase.com/organization/...wth_outlook#growth_insight
May 6, 2025 1:30 PM
One Tech Tip: Skype shut down for good, but users still have alternatives.
https://www.mprnews.org/story/2025/05/06/...l-have-these-alternatives
The “Rakuten Arrivals” will celebrate the team players' personal sense of style and support their favorite brands.
May 7, 2025, 9:00am
The Golden State Valkyries and Rakuten have announced their partnership, making the cash back shopping platform a team founding partner and the official shopping rewards partner of the Valkyries.
Raktuen will be the presenting partner of the player’s walk-in “Arrivals,” making it the brand’s first space to create visibility for the player arrivals tunnel — which has become a major cultural moment within basketball.
Most notably, the “Rakuten Arrivals” will be a platform for the newly formed team players to express their sartorial style and support the brands and designers they are most passionate about. And throughout the season, Rakuten will also offer Valkyries fans exclusive merchandise and cash back opportunities throughout the season.
Rakuten joins the growing list of Valkyries’ big-name founding partners and sponsors, including JPMorgan Chase, Sephora and United Airlines.
In another Rakuten news, the company is also hosting its Big Give Week promotion from Wednesday until Monday with hundreds of retailers in all categories, such as fashion, beauty, travel and other general spending with up to 15 percent cash back, ahead of the Memorial Day Weekend sales.
https://wwd.com/business-news/business-features/...ashion-1237687162/
May 09, 2025
Unified observability is a paradigm shift from fragmented monitoring systems to a centralized, integrated approach. The session will cover why large enterprises should ditch observability silos and achieve a cross-platform experience with Unified Observability from Rakuten SixthSense. Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more updates on our edge AI innovation journey!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EGYeFspisao
May 08, 2025
Struggling to keep up with the demands of modern monitoring? Vinod Nair from Q Meridian Consulting presents a solution: Rakuten Cloud's innovative approach to fast data and persistent storage. Learn how they're handling massive data velocity, achieving near real-time monitoring, and leveraging Kubernetes for scalable data protection.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=24QfUSEN4L4
May 08, 2025 Are you struggling to modernize your edge storage for Google Distributed Cloud Edge (GDCE)? In this session, Ritesh Patel (VP of Products) of Nirmata presents a solution: Rakuten Cloud's innovative approach to high-performance, policy-driven edge storage. Learn how they're achieving impressive data velocity, leveraging Kubernetes for scalability, and enforcing best practices with Kyverno
.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y7bkQKBM3Qw
Current State of Open RAN
Open RAN is gaining traction among mobile operators as they seek to implement more flexible and efficient network architectures. After a challenging year in 2024, the outlook for Open RAN in 2025 appears more optimistic, with operators increasingly recognizing the benefits of multivendor systems and standardized interfaces. This shift aims to enhance the deployment of 5G networks and prepare for future 6G technologies.
Key Developments and Events
O-RAN Alliance Initiatives: The O-RAN Alliance has been active in publishing technical documents and strategies to enhance energy efficiency in Open RAN networks. As of April 2025, they have released 67 new technical documents, focusing on optimizing power consumption and integrating renewable energy solutions.
MWC Barcelona 2025: The O-RAN Alliance is set to host a summit at the MWC Barcelona trade show on March 4, 2025. This event will provide insights into the state of Open RAN, operational experiences, and future architectures towards 6G. It will feature discussions from over 20 speakers from the O-RAN community, addressing various aspects of Open RAN development and adoption.
Research and Analytics: Recent research highlights the importance of advanced analytics and real-time traffic visibility in optimizing Open RAN performance. This focus on data-driven insights is crucial for enhancing network efficiency and meeting the growing demands of mobile data traffic.
Challenges and Future Prospects: While Open RAN is making progress, it still accounts for a small share of the overall RAN market. Leading operators and suppliers are embracing the movement, but challenges remain in achieving widespread adoption and interoperability among different vendors.
In summary, Open RAN is poised for growth in 2025, with significant industry events and ongoing initiatives aimed at addressing its challenges and enhancing its capabilities. The focus on energy efficiency, multivendor systems, and advanced analytics will play a critical role in shaping the future of mobile networks.
https://www.bing.com/...;FORM=ANAB01&adppc=EDGEDSP&PC=EDGEDSP
Empowering Filipino entrepreneurs with Viber business profiles
One cornerstone of Viber’s strategy is its support for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) with Viber Business Accounts, a suite of free tools designed to enrich their online presence and interaction with customers. These accounts provide comprehensive messaging, analytics and automation tools that help small businesses grow cost-efficiently. The impact is evident in the 65% increase in newly created Business Accounts in the Philippines since the beginning of 2025, with strong interest from technicians, consultants, health & beauty and e-commerce businesses.
https://rakuten.today/blog/...ats-to-commerce-in-the-philippines.html
Rakuten Card Inc.
Rakuten Card erhält zum zweiten Mal im Jahr und zum ersten Mal im "Inquiry Desk Rating" die höchste Bewertung von drei Sternen im HDI-Rating-Benchmark "Web Support Rating"
Rakuten Card Co., Ltd. (im Folgenden als "das Unternehmen" bezeichnet) freut sich bekannt zu geben, dass es zum zweiten Mal in Folge die höchste Bewertung von drei Sternen im "Web Support Rating" und das erste "Inquiry Desk Rating" im HDI Rating Benchmark erhalten hat, das von HDI-Japan, der japanischen Basis von HDI, der weltweit größten Mitgliederorganisation für Support-Services, gesponsert wird.
https://www.rakuten-card.co.jp/corporate/press_release/20250512/
April 02, 2025
Open RAN (O-RAN) and automation are emerging as solutions to increase flexibility, lower costs and expand network coverage faster in Africa. At a recent panel discussion, industry leaders explored how O-RAN and automation are shaping the African telecom landscape. Moderated by Abe Nejad, Publisher of Network Media Group (NMG), the session featured experts from Accenture and Rakuten Symphony, discussing the key drivers behind O-RAN adoption, integration challenges, and the role of AI-driven automation.
Speakers:
Nitesh Singh - MD and Communications, Media and Technology Lead, Accenture
Faiq Khan - SVP, Global Sales OSS BU, Rakuten Symphony
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UKF3nMA-5Jg&t=24s
Rakuten Mobile as an individual business achieves first quarterly EBITDA profitability excluding property taxes, marking a positive start towards achieving full-year profitability in 2025
Overall Performance
The Rakuten Group recorded year-on-year (YoY) revenue growth in all three segments in Q1 FY2025: Internet Services, FinTech and Mobile. Consolidated revenue reached 562.7 billion yen, a record high for the first quarter, up 9.6% YoY.
The FinTech business performed well due to Rakuten Card’s increased transaction volume and higher revenues for Rakuten Bank driven by rising interest rates. In addition to robust growth in domestic e-commerce and overseas businesses in the Internet Services segment, increasing Rakuten Mobile subscriptions also significantly contributed to revenue growth.
The Rakuten Group recorded Non-GAAP operating losses in Q1 FY2025 of 300 million yen, an improvement of 25.1 billion yen YoY, boosted by Rakuten Mobile’s improved losses due to increased revenue, and significant profit growth in Rakuten Bank and Rakuten Payment. Consolidated EBITDA, an indicator the Rakuten Group uses to assess the ability to generate cash flow, was profitable for the quarter, recording a surplus of 79.9 billion yen, a substantial increase of 51.4% YoY.
Rakuten Mobile, Inc.’s quarterly EBITDA was profitable at 102 million yen, excluding property taxes, marking a positive start towards achieving full-year EBITDA profitability in 2025.
Rakuten Group has already secured funding for all its bonds maturing in 2025, including the replacement of hybrid bonds. The Group has a variety of funding options for interest-bearing debt maturing in 2026 and beyond, and its plans to redeem USD-denominated Undated Subordinated Notes on their first call date in April 2026 remain unchanged.
https://global.rakuten.com/corp/news/press/2025/0514_01.html
FinTech growth, mobile momentum headline Rakuten Q1 FY2025 financial results
On May 14, Rakuten Group announced its financial results for the first quarter of 2025 in an AI-powered presentation from its Crimson House headquarters in Tokyo.
AI avatars of Rakuten Group Chairman and CEO Mickey Mikitani, Group CFO Kenji Hirose and Group Chief AI & Data Officer Ting Cai shared Q1 2025 highlights from the company’s diverse portfolio of 70+ services, while highlighting bold advancements in the firm’s AI-nization initiatives.
https://rakuten.today/blog/...akuten-q1-fy2025-financial-results.html
In Q1, Rakuten recorded year-on-year (YoY) revenue growth in each of its three segments: Internet Services, FinTech and Mobile.
Consolidated revenue reached 562.7 billion yen, up 9.6% YoY, marking a record high for the first quarter.
Rakuten Card’s increased shopping GTV, or shopping transaction value, and higher revenues for Rakuten Bank driven by rising interest rates, resulted in strong FinTech performance. In addition to robust growth in both domestic e-commerce and overseas businesses within the Internet Services segment, rising Rakuten Mobile subscription numbers also contributed significantly to revenue growth.
Overall, the company recorded quarterly Non-GAAP operating losses of 300 million yen (only $ 2 million), an improvement of 25.1 billion yen ($ 170 million) YoY. This was driven by increased Rakuten Mobile revenue and profit growth in both Rakuten Bank and Rakuten Payment. Consolidated EBITDA, was profitable for the quarter, recording a surplus of 79.9 billion yen, a substantial increase of 51.4% YoY.
https://rakuten.today/blog/...akuten-q1-fy2025-financial-results.html
https://ng.investing.com/news/earnings/...arterly-profit-93CH-1919436
[Ono, Yomiuri Shimbun]: I have two questions. My first question is about the financial results. I understand that each segment is performing well, but looking at the earnings summary, I'm a bit concerned that the net loss has increased compared to the same period last year. I assume this is due to a one-off factor, but if there's any factor you can explain, please let me know. My second question is regarding Mobile's EBITDA being in the black if property taxes are excluded. I'm a bit hesitant about whether I can quote AI version of Mr. Mikitani's remarks as his own statements in a newspaper article. Could you please share your thoughts or confidence on this point again?
[Hirose, CFO]: Regarding the first point about the financial figures, while the operating loss has significantly narrowed and improved, financial income/expenses impacted pre-tax profit. As explained in the video, this is due to fluctuations in the hedging of perpetual subordinated bonds. Normally, if hedge accounting was applied, this would have no impact. However, under IFRS accounting, perpetual subordinated bonds are counted as capital, and their yen value is fixed at the historical rate at the time of issuance. Unrealized loss on this capital is not reflected in directly in the equity capital, but rather, it was booked as a hedging loss in the P&L. This is what significantly worsened, primarily in the pre-tax profit section. This fluctuation amounted to approximately 33.8 billion yen. On the other hand, regarding comprehensive income, the currency translation adjustment account fluctuated due to the impact of the stronger yen.
[Mikitani, CEO] So, it's a technical factor. Basically, it's related to finance, and I hope you understand that, Mr. Ono. As for my remarks on AI, I have thoroughly reviewed the script for them, so you can quote them as my statements.
25Q1transcript_E%2520(1).pdf
Rakuten Mobile confident of profit target
May 14, 2025
Rakuten Mobile chair Mickey Mikitani highlighted a modest Q1 EBITDA profit of JPY102 million ($693,757), excluding fixed asset tax, as proof its operations are moving toward profitability in 2025, as customer additions in Japan accelerate.
Mikitani said a net lower loss has continued since last year, “demonstrating steady progress toward full-year EBITDA profitability”. He added improvements in network quality and customer acquisition strategies are showing results, and “we expect further growth going forward”.
He suggested reciprocal tariffs with the US will have no direct impact on the procurement or supply of equipment for the operator.
Mobile segment revenue increased 10.9 per cent year-on-year to JPY100.7 billion, and non-GAAP operating loss improved by JPY14.3 billion to JPY51.3 billion.
https://www.mobileworldlive.com/rakuten/...%2520Japan%2520accelerate.
Reduced loss from increased revenue at Rakuten Mobile, and large increases in profits at Rakuten Bank and Rakuten Payment drove significant growth
Net income of Internet Services Segment grew 25,8% from 10.5 billion Yen to 13.2 billion Yen.
Net income of FinTech Segment grew 25,8% from 10.5 billion Yen to 13.2 billion Yen.
Net Loss of Mobile Segment lowered 14.3 billion Yen from 65.6 billion Yen to 51.3 billion Yen.
Total Q1/2025 Consolidated Non GAAP operating income: Loss was lowered 25.1 billion Yen from 25.4 billion Yen to only 0.3 billion Yen (= about $2 million = near flat or break-even).
25Q1tanshin_E.pdf
Rakuten Mobile posted a positive earnings figure for the first quarter of the year, albeit a moderate one, and insists it is on track to end 2025 in the black.
May 14, 2025
Japan's newest mobile operator posted EBITDA of 102 million yen for the three months to the end of March, which is just shy of US$700,000. Hardly a king's ransom, but an important step on the road to full-year earnings profitability, a goal the company has been shooting for since it launched services on its 5G network in 2020.
It was initially aiming for breakeven in fiscal 2023, but despite a growing customer base it didn't get there; the cost of building out a new network from scratch took its toll. It recorded its first month of EBITDA profitability in December – although 2024 as a whole saw a JPY53.8 billion ($368 million at current exchange rates) earnings loss – and is clearly still heading in the right direction.
It's worth noting that the positive Q1 EBITDA figure excludes property taxes, which impact on the company's first quarter results every year. But essentially, it can now declare that it has recorded its "first ever profitable quarter."
https://www.telecoms.com/operator-ecosystem/...s-ebitda-positive-just
The result is an IFRS-reporting of a negative influence of 33.8 billion yen, which doesn’t real exist.
And therefore is a reporting, that the company’s net loss for the three months to March widened to 73.47 billion Yen ($500 million) from 42.39 billion Yen a year ago misleading, because the real loss was not the amount ¥73.47 billion it was only 39.7 billion Yen (substraction of 33.8 billion Yen from 73.47 billion Yen).
Rakuten Group reported consolidated revenue of 562.7 billion Yen ($3.63 billion) for the quarter ending March 31, 2025, up 9.6% year-over-year. Its IFRS operating loss improved significantly, narrowing from 33.3 billion Yen ($215 million) in Q1 2024 to 15.4 billion Yen ($99.5 million) in Q1 2025. However, net loss widened to 73.5 billion Yen ($474 million) from ¥42.4 billion Yen ($274 million) last year, due largely to non-operational factors including unrealized losses on hedging instruments tied to currency volatility.
https://www.rcrwireless.com/20250515/business/rakuten-earnings