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/
Rakuten plans to invest "at least three digit millions dollars" to scale up technology, infrastructure and hiring, Rakuten's India CEO Sunil Gopinath said, without specifying the exact amount.
Rakuten currently employs 4,000 people in India - 90% of whom are tech staff - and plans to recruit people who it considers "power users" of AI.
"We look for AI-savvy people that we can intersperse across the company," Gopinath said.
The India global capability centre (GCC) is a key contributor in building Rakuten Pay, a major payment app in Japan, and its SixthSense platform, which is used to track the health of a system and flag issues.
The SixthSense platform is used by a wide range of clients including banks, healthcare companies, airlines, and the government of India.
Rakuten generated a profit of 10.5 billion yen ($73.62 million) in fiscal year 2024 by using AI, and aims to double this in 2025. Last year, employees almost halved their time to create sales material, according to its full-year earnings presentation.
Rakuten's India GCC operates about 50% of the company's 70-plus businesses, with offices at multiple locations in the country, including two centers in the southern city of Bengaluru.
The market size of India's GCCs is expected to be valued at up to $105 billion by fiscal year 2030 from $64.6 billion in 2024, according to a report by IT industry body Nasscom and consulting firm Zinnov.
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/...ten-invest-least-100-070917892.html
6 days ago
The Diversity Talk Session was spearheaded by Taiki Nagamatsu, Vice General Manager of the Global Country Management Department and Manager of Diversity Development Group at Rakuten, who has been instrumental in driving diversity initiatives within Rakuten Travel. “We prioritize both employee and service inclusion by raising diversity awareness among our staff and partner hotels,” Nagamatsu explained. “This brings us back to the core value of Rakuten Travel: ‘Empowering travel through innovation and diversity.’ Our principal value is diversity – we will continue to create an environment where everybody, regardless of religion, nationality, language or disability, can enjoy traveling around the world.”
https://rakuten.today/blog/...rence-inspires-greater-inclusivity.html
Apr 30, 2025, 10:00 AM
Rakuten Securities, Inc., a subsidiary of Rakuten Group, reported its financial results for the first quarter of 2025, showing a rise in operating revenue and income compared to the previous year. This financial performance indicates a positive trajectory for the company, potentially strengthening its position in the securities market and providing value to its stakeholders.
https://www.tipranks.com/news/...s-positive-q1-2025-financial-results
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
2025/04/25
https://www.rakuten-card.co.jp/corporate/press_release/20250425/
1 day ago
The test demonstrated the first-ever mobile broadband two-way video call in Japan using unmodified smartphones connected directly to satellites. Radio signals were transmitted from Rakuten Mobile’s gateway Earth station in Fukushima Prefecture, north of Tokyo, to one of AST SpaceMobile’s newly launched BlueBird satellites.
From there, the satellite relayed the signal to a smartphone in Tokyo, using a standard calling app on a regular device – no hardware modifications, no special accessories, no satellite mode; just a phone, a satellite and space-age technology.
Rakuten Mobile tested system compatibility across a range of smartphones available in Japan. The company conducted the trial under a preliminary test license and is now seeking approval for a full experimental license for further testing in the near future.
“We are delighted to achieve the first-ever mobile broadband two-way voice call in Japan between a smartphone and satellite, proving this groundbreaking technology once again,” commented Rakuten Group Chairman and CEO Mickey Mikitani. Notably, the technology is compatible with close to all smartphones, regardless of the manufacturer and system, or if it is the latest model or not. “[With the Rakuten Saikyo Satellite Service], since it’s broadband, users can not only send text messages or do voice calls, but can even stream videos, go on social media platforms and make video calls on messenger apps.”
https://rakuten.today/blog/...rst-satellite-to-mobile-video-call.html
April 01, 2025
In this session at the Rakuten Booth in MWC Barcelona 2025, Marc Einstein, Research Director at Counterpoint Research, hosts a panel discussion with Puneet Handa, Head of Business Strategy & Portfolio at Rakuten Symphony, and Luca Milillo, Vice President of Rakuten Link, as they discuss Rakuten Link: The Super IntelliApp and how this represents the culmination of years of research and development and displays the strength of AI and the Rakuten Ecosystem.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VXYzlirmks8&t=157s
April 15, 2025
March was another busy month for AST SpaceMobile, here’s your full recap.
We’ll cover:
UBS, Deutsche Bank, and Scotiabank raise AST stock targets
New satellite design revealed (FM1) with 30m² solar panel
AST now has 40 BlueBirds in production & targets 6/month by late 2025
AST forms ‘SatCo’ with Vodafone to serve all of Europe
Mission Critical: AST’s emergency services connectivity initiative
FCC gateway approvals unlock US operations
New MNO partnerships & 3 billion potential users worldwide
AST to launch at least 60 satellites before end of 2026
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_VkPSU12oIo
May 02, 2025
Rakuten Mobile hosted the Innovative Operators (IO) APAC Connect conference at Rakuten Crimson House in Tokyo. Attendees discussed key industry trends, including 5G, VoLTE (Voice over Long-term Evolution), and e-SIM technology. RNN interviewed speakers at the event for insights into these trends and their impression of Rakuten Mobile. By fostering collaboration and innovation, Rakuten Mobile aims to strengthen its global presence and contribute to the advancement of the telecommunications industry.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yJNA0RxyQc8&t=10s
Holder§% of holding Shares Held Date Reported Value (In 1,000s)
Rakuten Group, Inc. 13.15% 31,020,155 Apr 17, 2025 818,932
The Vanguard Group, Inc. 6.35% 14,987,351 Dec 31, 2024 395,666
BlackRock, Inc. 4.57% 10,793,056 Dec 31, 2024 284,937
AT&T Inc. 2.65% 6,260,440 Feb 03, 2025 165,276
https://www.investing.com/equities/...ce-acquisition-corp-n-ownership
25.03.2025
AST baut ein Netzwerk auf, das wahrscheinlich praktisch über Nacht Milliarden an freiem Cashflow generieren wird. AST ist derzeit konkurrenzlos und ebnet den Weg für einen exponentiellen Anstieg seines freien Cashflows pro Aktie. Wie ich später noch näher erläutern werde, sind die Satelliten von AST einzigartig, da sie eine direkte Breitbandverbindung zum Weltraum ermöglichen und so (im Gegensatz zu Starlink) keine speziellen Satellitentelefone benötigen. Kein anderes Raumfahrtunternehmen weltweit ist auch nur annähernd in der Lage, dies zu erreichen. Und obwohl SpaceX theoretisch über die Ressourcen verfügt, glaube ich, dass der Technologie-Stack von AST so spezialisiert ist, dass er einen undurchdringlichen Schutzwall darstellt. Die Finanzzahlen von AST geben nicht viele Informationen preis, da das Unternehmen im Wesentlichen noch keine Einnahmen erzielt. Jeder eingesetzte Satellit bringt AST jedoch einen Schritt näher an den Aufbau eines Netzwerks, das plötzlich mit freiem Cashflow explodieren wird. AST bietet Smartphone-Nutzern 5G-Konnektivität überall, solange sie SMS abonnieren. AST hat bereits fünf voll funktionsfähige Block-1-Satelliten in Betrieb genommen und verfügt über Absichtserklärungen (Memorandum of Understanding) für drei Milliarden Menschen. Wie wir sehen werden, handelt es sich dabei nicht nur um leere Versprechungen. Sobald die Zahl der Satelliten auf über 45 bis 60 ansteigt, kann AST schnell auf Hunderte Millionen Endkunden skalieren.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tYvf_z2U_JA
December 03, 2024
Rakuten Advertising is the #1 largest global network featuring exclusive brands and top-tier partners. Trusted by the world’s top brands to deliver – what can we do for you? Reach audiences, find opportunities, and exceed expectations. Join us today to start working with our industry-leading experts.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0DfAT9bpUlM
Get ready for a partnership platform experience designed with publishers and creators in mind. In this video, you’ll get an inside look at key features and benefits of Rakuten Advertising’s Publisher Dashboard. Whether you’re new to affiliate partnerships or a seasoned publisher this dashboard will save you time, and help you grow.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xmUILhPkdr8
January 26, 2025
When will AST SpaceMobile deploy the 25 satellites needed to begin generating revenue? In this video, we break down AST’s Phased Satellite Deployment Plan and predict when their network will hit this critical milestone.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tzo-dzMlCpA
April 02, 2025
From cloud to edge, telecom operators are integrating AI into their networks to cut costs, improve reliability and unlock new business models. Tune in as industry leaders tackle how telcos can harness AI across cloud, core, and edge infrastructure in a session moderated by Abe Nejad, Publisher of Network Media Group (NMG).
Speakers:
Caroline Chan - VP of the Network and Edge Group, Intel
Ram Ramanathan - VP - Product Management - Cloud AI-Ops, Automation, Ribbon Communications
Vivek Chadha - SVP, Global Sales Head Cloud & MD MEA, Rakuten Symphony
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PP9Y8KR6O2Q
Wednesday, April 16, 2025
https://en.traicy.com/posts/2025041622127/
March 20, 2025 13:03 ET
Japan's gift card market is set to reach $25.12 billion in 2025, with a 7.3% CAGR through 2029, ultimately hitting $33.32 billion. Digital transformation, corporate adoption, and retail collaborations are key drivers of this growth. E-gift cards dominate as e-commerce platforms and fintech firms like Infcurion, Rakuten, and Amazon Japan integrate gift card solutions into digital wallets and loyalty programs. Additionally, corporate incentives and employee rewards programs are boosting adoption. The regulatory landscape is evolving to enhance transparency and consumer trust, making compliance critical for businesses. Companies investing in digital innovation and strategic partnerships will gain a competitive edge in this dynamic market.
https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2025/...il-Corporate-.html
March 26, 2025
Watch the opening presentation at the Rakuten Booth as Raghunath Hariharan, Rakuten Symphony's Chief Technology Officer sits down with James Dartnell, Senior Director, Corporate Communications, to discuss the development of technologies that underpin Rakuten Symphony's value proposition. Listen to Raghu's fascinating insight into whether telcos should be investing in 6G, how to build features at lower cost and Raghu's view on 'machine-centric' technology.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OdLhysOHjKI
April 07, 2025
Rakuten Group held its entrance ceremony on April 1, 2025, welcoming a diverse group of new graduate employees as they embarked on a new journey. In her inaugural address, a representative new grad declared, "We will not just witness change, but lead it," expressing ambition to become innovative leaders. RNN interviewed the fresh new grads to hear their aspirations.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6KjQgo56A9U
Masahiro Kihara maps strategy to grow upon Mizuho Financial Group's record profit
Mizuho Financial Group CEO Masahiko Kihara expressed confidence in the megabank's growth
strategy.
December 31, 2024
TOKYO -- Japan's Mizuho Financial Group is on track to earn record net profit this fiscal year, and President and CEO Masahiro Kihara says the credit card business formed with Rakuten Group will serve as the engine for further growth in the consumer business.
https://asia.nikkei.com/Editor-s-Picks/Interview/...-weapons-CEO-says
https://www.bing.com/videos/riverview/...D51F0D250A9C25&FORM=VIRE
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