Rakuten wesentlich besser als Rocket

- und daher habe ich mir nach dem Einstieg bei Alibaba, die inzwischem mehr als 20% gut gemacht haben, auch einige Rakutens gekauft.

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/  

Verliert Netflix das Rennen? Das "3 Body"-Universum wird bei einem anderen Streamingdienst mit Sequels und Spin-offs ausgebaut

12.04.2024

Die chinesische Streamingplattform Tencent veröffentlichte Staffel 1 von „Three-Body“, wie diese andere Adaption der „Trisolaris“-Trilogie von Liu Cixin heißt, bereits Anfang 2023. Auch hierzulande kann man die Sci-Fi-Serie schauen, die allein in Season 1 auf satte 30 Folgen kommt. „Three-Body“, die wesentlich näher an der chinesischen Buchvorlage gehalten ist, ist beim Streaminganbieter Viki Rakuten verfügbar.

https://www.filmstarts.de/nachrichten/1000075120.html
 

8 April 2024 By Michael Kozlowski

https://goodereader.com/blog/kobo-ereader-news/...aders-on-april-10th

 

Go Rakuten Eagles & Rakuten Mobile! Opening Game 2024

April 15, 2024

20 years since the founding of the team, the curtains opened on the newest season for the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles. Everyone was fired up for the first three season-opening games, including Rakuten Mobile. A special campaign was announced at the start of the first game offering 50% back in Rakuten Points for eligible users. Check out the video to hear fans' thoughts on the team and experience using Rakuten Mobile.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zBfqkN4SVQk
 

Ride-Sharing-Marktgrößen- und Marktanteilsanalyse in Mexiko – Wachstumstrends und -prognosen (2024 – 2029)

Beispielsweise wird Cabify, eine private Taxiplattform ähnlich wie Uber, Didi und Lyft, in naher Zukunft weitere Transportmöglichkeiten in Mexiko anbieten. Cabify hat in allen Hauptstädten Lateinamerikas den Durchbruch geschafft und wird mit der Ankündigung einer neuen Fusion weiter expandieren. Cabify, Easy Taxi und Movo bündeln Ressourcen, um Transporte mit Motorrollern sowie öffentlichen und privaten Taxis anzubieten. Solche Ansätze werden mehr Möglichkeiten für den Ride-Hailing-Markt in der Region schaffen.

Source: https://www.mordorintelligence.com/de/...hailing-market/market-trends
 

APRIL 11, 2024

https://www.yugatech.com/news/viber-pay-is-coming-to-the-philippines/

 

Viber's New AI Feature Summarizes Busy Group Chats You'll Never Read

April 10, 2024

The feature intends to condense your group chat catchup, because you probably don't want to scroll through it all.

Sometimes a group chat takes on a life of its own, whether it's friends and family deciding to get chatty while you're busy working or a conversation thread that gets so busy you mute it for a day to get some space. For these situations, the Rakuten Viber chat app unveiled a new AI Chat Summary tool Wednesday that summarizes those lengthy message threads down to a few essential points.

The chat app's feature leverages OpenAI to do this and can scan up to 100 unread messages when building its summary. When opening a conversation with unread messages, the app will offer to build a summary, and if requested, the app will then scan for any key decisions or actions in order to create reference points. When the AI Summary is used, the app will mark the group chat as read, but you can still scroll back through the conversation if you'd like.

Viber says these summaries won't be saved on the chat app's servers, nor will it include any identifiers beyond usernames. The feature is gradually rolling out now in the US, the Philippines, Ukraine, Japan, Bulgaria and Poland to start. Other regions will follow after that, and it's coming to both the iOS and Android versions of the chat app.

https://www.cnet.com/tech/mobile/...usy-group-chats-youll-never-read/
 

Breakeven in sight for Open Ran operator in long campaign against established carriers NTT Docomo, KDDI and Softbank

By  SCOTT FOSTER MARCH 30, 2024

Rakuten Mobile, Japan’s upstart mobile telecom network operator, sees light at the end of the financial tunnel as subscriber growth heads toward breakeven on an operating cash flow basis in 2024.
Breakeven will be a milestone for the Open RAN (Radio Access Network) standard that allows for various companies to supply different parts of a telecommunications network.

https://asiatimes.com/2024/03/...n-mobile-making-gains-with-open-ran/
 

Innovationstreiber im Buchmarkt: Die tolino-Allianz bringt Farbe ins digitale Lesen

München 10. April 2024

Marktanteil soll mit neuer eReader-Generation mit Farbdisplay weiter ausgebaut werden

Neues Leseerlebnis auch für Kinderbücher, Reiseführer, Mangas, Comics uvm.

Audio-Funktion für Hörbücher und Eingabestift tolino stylus

War bislang Schwarz-Weiß der Standard beim Lesen auf eReadern, so kommt mit der neuen Generation von tolino-Lesegeräten ab Mai 2024 Farbe in die digitale Buchwelt. tolino präsentiert als erster großer Anbieter auf dem deutschsprachigen Markt eine komplett neue eReader-Generation mit Farbdisplays. Mit gleich drei Geräten der neuen Generation und einem Eingabestift unterstreicht die tolino-Allianz, hinter der die Buchhändler Thalia, Hugendubel, Weltbild und Libri stehen, ihre Innovationsstärke. Die eReader tolino shine und tolino shine color sind ab dem 7. Mai im Handel verfügbar. Der tolino vision color folgt im Juni.

Der Launch der neuen tolino-Geräte bedeutet eine der größten Veränderungen im Markt des digitalen Lesens: Die Zukunft des digitalen Lesens ist farbig. Seit der Gründung vor elf Jahren verkauften die Allianzpartner weit über 5 Millionen tolino-Lesegeräte. Jetzt wollen sie mit der neuen Gerätegeneration ihren Marktanteil von derzeit rund 40 Prozent noch weiter ausbauen. Mit 1.800 Läden im stationären Buchhandel und starken Onlineshops verfügt die Allianz über flächendeckende Präsenz und große Vertriebsstärke. Der Verkaufsstart der Geräte wird pünktlich zum Beginn der Reisesaison mit einer breiten Werbekampagne flankiert.

https://mytolino.de/news/...-allianz-bringt-farbe-ins-digitale-lesen/
 

https://www.rakuten-bank.co.jp/press/2024/240412.html  

The US Trade and Development Agency is providing a grant to NOW Telecom Company Inc., an associate of listed NOW Corp., for a feasibility study to help develop a secure nationwide 5G network.

April 15, 2024, 8:15 pm

NOW said in a disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchange that the project involves three key infrastructure components to design and implement a pilot 5G SA network in Metro Manila, design a nationwide stand-alone 5G wireless network and design and plan for a nationwide broadband network.

The company said the project advances priorities of the Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment and the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework, with the goal of developing, expanding and deploying secure digital infrastructure to power economic growth and facilitate open digital societies.
This followed the trilateral meeting on April 12, 2024 among US President Joe Biden, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

NOW Telecom earlier signed a memorandum of understanding with Rakuten Symphony (part of the Rakuten Group, a technology conglomerate based in Tokyo) to establish a collaborative framework for the deployment of a 5G Open RAN Pilot deployment in the Philippines.

https://manilastandard.net/business/it-telecom/...sibility-study.html
 

“Money Bridge” Service Linking Rakuten Bank and Rakuten Securities Accounts Surpasses 5 Million Accounts

Tokyo, April 16, 2024 - Rakuten Bank, Ltd. and Rakuten Securities, Inc. today announced that Money Bridge, a service connecting customers’ Rakuten Bank and Rakuten Securities accounts, has surpassed 5 million accounts as of April 16, 2024.

Rakuten Bank and Rakuten Securities began offering Money Bridge in April 2011 to improve the convenience of services for private asset building and management. Anyone with both a Rakuten Bank and Rakuten Securities account can apply for a Money Bridge account free of charge. Once setup is complete, users can use the automatic deposit and withdrawal (sweep) function, which saves them the trouble of transferring funds manually between accounts. In addition, a preferential interest rate*1 is applied on ordinary deposit accounts, while Rakuten Points are awarded for transactions made using Rakuten Securities. This user-friendly and efficient system, combined with the ability to earn Rakuten Points, has been embraced by Rakuten members, leading to the milestone of 5 million Money Bridge accounts.

https://global.rakuten.com/corp/news/press/2024/...p;category=fintech

 

https://jetstream.blog/archives/184659
 

https://k-tai.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/review/1582955.html

 

April 16, 2024

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IfsNTPS0YSw&t=180s


 

Future perspectives: Partha Seetala on cloud-native solutions for telco

April 17,2024

Partha Seetala, President, Cloud BU, Rakuten Symphony breaks down the different types of cloud and how our innovative approaches in the cloud domain is tackling some of the industry’s biggest challenges.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=66DfokknrSI

 

Rakuten Securities Surpasses 11 Million General Securities Customer Accounts, the Largest Number of Non-Consolidated Securities Accounts in Japan

- 1 million new accounts in four months, a new record for Rakuten Securities

Tokyo, April 16, 2024 - Rakuten Securities, Inc. today announced that its general securities accounts have surpassed 11 million, the largest number of non-consolidated securities accounts among Japanese securities companies (based on disclosed information), as of April 2024. The milestone signifies the fastest increase in new accounts since the company’s founding, with 1 million accounts opened since reaching the 10 million mark around four months ago in December 2023.

Since launching in 1999 as the first dedicated online brokerage service in Japan, Rakuten Securities has worked to continually expand and enhance its asset-building platform with retail investors top of mind.

The Nippon Individual Savings Account (NISA) program, which was significantly updated and revamped in 2024, has sparked considerable interest in investing in Japan. With more people beginning to use NISA as a first step in their asset-building journey, Rakuten Securities is dedicated to providing services that satisfy diverse customer needs. As part of this commitment, the company recently launched the second year of its Asset Building College, helping customers master the basics of asset building and next steps after making their first investment in a year-long program.

On top of various free online seminars and in-person event seminars hosted throughout Japan, Rakuten Securities also offers a variety of financial advisory services tailored to customer needs, including an AI-powered investment assistant, and with Advisor, an online consultation service staffed by Rakuten Securities employees. The company is leading the industry by raising the upper limit for regular investment trust payments made with Rakuten Card from 50,000 yen to 100,000 yen and is currently implementing various campaigns to help customers take advantage of Rakuten Securities’ NISA program.

In addition to offering the fee-free Japanese stock trading service Zero Course and providing a superior user experience, Rakuten Securities is committed to providing reliable and intuitive trading tools for stocks and other related services on all platforms. Leveraging the strengths of the Rakuten Group, Rakuten Securities has also worked to develop services tailored to the needs of customers, from the time they make their first investment and throughout their asset-building journey by expanding its lineup of services designed for long-term use. These initiatives include offering index funds that can be managed at the lowest cost in the industry*2; the launch of the Investment Balance Point Program, which rewards customers with Rakuten Points for holding funds in investment trusts; Point Investment, which allows customers to use Rakuten Points to purchase investment trusts; giving customers the ability to make payments for investment trusts through Rakuten Card and Rakuten Cash; and making Rakuten Card available for gold, platinum and silver reserve payments.

Rakuten Securities aims to maximize customers’ financial well-being as the brokerage company of choice for all customers – ranging from investment newcomers to seasoned traders. The company will continue expanding its array of services to meet their diverse investment needs.

https://global.rakuten.com/corp/news/press/2024/...p;category=fintech
 

Future perspectives: Geoff Hollingworth on telecom’s next paradigm shift

April 17.04.2024

Rakuten Symphony Chief Marketing Officer Geoff Hollingworth talks about the challenges facing the telecom industry today, how AI and automation can power greater industry success and more.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IRNhPupsezc
 

Operating revenue of Rakuten Securities, Inc. from fiscal year 2015 to 2023 (in billion Japanese yen)
Rakuten Securities' operating revenue FY 2015-2023

Published by Statista Research Department, Feb 5, 2024

In the fiscal year 2023, the operating revenue of Rakuten Securities, Inc. amounted to around 110.9 billion Japanese yen, up from 95.4 billion yen the previous fiscal year. Rakuten Securities is a Japanese online securities company that operates under the umbrella of Rakuten Securities Holdings.

https://www.statista.com/statistics/1368742/...ies-operating-revenue/

 

Rakuten Travel Rolls Out Car Rental Service for International Visitors to Japan

Tokyo, April 17, 2024 – Rakuten Group Inc. today announced that its travel reservation service Rakuten Travel, a leading online travel agency in Japan, has begun offering its car rental reservation service for visitors to Japan in multiple languages starting today. The service now supports customers using English, Korean and Traditional Chinese (Taiwan), in addition to Japanese.

Each reservation page features a user-friendly interface with strategically placed icons, enabling effortless navigation from car search to booking completion. At launch, approximately 3,000 stores are now available from many major rental car companies across Japan, with further stores to be added soon.

Intuitive design featuring search functionality and icons

Customers can search for available rental cars from the reservation page, simply by entering the departure and return locations along with the desired use dates. When inputting airport names, station names, or city names, the system suggests nearby car rental stores, catering to travelers utilizing connecting flights or trains, or those unfamiliar with their destination's geography. Moreover, users can also refine their search by specifying vehicle conditions and desired type, aided by icons showing the car type and relative size.

Search results display the car and manufacturer names with rental options accompanied by pictograms, for seamless navigation from search to booking completion.

One Rakuten Travel interface for rental car operators

Rental car operators can manage sales and vehicle inventory using the same management interface as the Japanese service currently offered on Rakuten Travel. This allows for bulk management of vehicles and sales channels, helping rental car operators expand sales without additional overhead.

Furthermore, an automatic translation function is available for vehicle sales settings. Rental car operators and sales outlets facing labor shortages will be able to meet the demand from inbound tourists without added burden by leveraging Rakuten Travel’s existing sales channels.

The annual number of international visitors to Japan surpassed 25 million in 2023*1, rapidly approaching the pre-pandemic figure of around 32 million visitors in 2019*2. Rakuten Travel aims to bolster tourism in rural areas and revitalize Japan’s local economies by providing a car rental reservation service that inbound tourists can use with confidence, thereby enhancing transportation options in both urban and rural areas.

Rakuten Travel is committed to caring for the diverse needs of both domestic and international travelers by offering a wide range of travel booking services, encompassing both accommodation and transport options.

https://global.rakuten.com/corp/news/press/2024/...&category=corp

 

Cumulated number of credit cards issued by Rakuten Card Co., Ltd. from 2019 to 2023(in millions)

Rakuten Card's number of credit cards issued 2019-2023

Published by Statista Research Department, Apr 4, 2024

By December 2023, Rakuten Card Co., Ltd. has issued around 30.1 million credit cards. The company's number of cards issued to customers increased from about 28.1 million in the previous year. Rakuten Card is a credit card company that was established in 2001 and is part of Rakuten Group.

https://www.statista.com/statistics/1313856/...f-credit-cards-issued/
 

https://kakaku.com/card/menu/rakuten-card/
 

"Rakuten Pay", "Rakuten Point Card" and "Rakuten Edy" in one app

April 18, 2024

https://payment.rakuten.co.jp/news/2024041800/

 

"Rakuten Pay", "Rakuten Point Card" and "Rakuten Cash" in one app

April 18, 2024

https://payment.rakuten.co.jp/news/2024041800/

And Rakuten Edy will follow.  

auf die Meldung zurückzuführen, dass im Zeitraum von kurz vor Ende Dezember bis in im ersten April-Drittel die Userzahl von Rakuten Mobile von 6,0 Millionen auf 6,5 Millionen gestiegen sind - das war wohl einigen nach den starken Dezember-Zahlen mit allein mehr als 300.00 zu wenig.

Auch ich hatte hier mit einem größeren Anstieg gerechnet, aber die Zahl ist trotzdem okay - und einem weiteren Anstieg der User-Zahlen, der Rakuten Mobile in die Gewinnzone führt, steht nach meiner Einschätzung kaum etwas im Wege.  

By Eden Ezion

APRIL 11, 2024

https://www.viber.com/en/blog/2024-04-11/68753/