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/  

Credit card startup Imprint beats big banks for Rakuten co-brand deal

Published Tue, Jul 22 2025

Key Points

Imprint, the 5-year-old credit card startup, beat out banks in a competitive bidding process for a new co-branded card from online shopping platform Rakuten, CNBC has learned.

The deal, to be announced later Tuesday, is the most recent sign that Imprint is gaining traction in the co-branded credit card industry.

The New York-based startup also just raised $70 million in additional capital, boosting its valuation by 50% to $900 million less than a year from its previous round, according to Imprint CEO Daragh Murphy.

https://www.cnbc.com/2025/07/22/...-card-startup-imprint-rakuten.html

 

Rakuten Fashion Week TOKYO 2026SS

MON. 09/01– SAT. 09/06/2025

https://rakutenfashionweektokyo.com/en/
 

Rakuten Offers Heat Stroke Insurance Through Pay App

July 17, 2025

Rakuten Payment Co., Ltd. and Rakuten Small Amount and Short Term Insurance Co., Ltd. are pleased to announce that they will begin offering “Heat Stroke Insurance” on the Rakuten Pay cashless payment service app from Thursday July 17, 2025.

In recent years, we have been hit by record-breaking summer temperatures, increasing the risk of heatstroke. In some cases, emergency transport and medical treatment are required, and heatstroke is becoming an increasingly serious social issue. In light of this situation, Rakuten Payment and Rakuten Short-Term Credit will begin offering “Heatstroke Insurance,” which can be easily signed up for through the Rakuten Pay app and helps people prepare for heatstroke.

https://itbusinesstoday.com/fintech/...oke-insurance-through-pay-app/
 

Rakuten Kobo is replacing Mozilla Pocket with Instapaper

Kobo has announced that it will replace Mozilla Pocket with Instapaper on its  e-readers by the end of summer 2025.

Published on 21 July 2025

Rakuten Kobo has had a partnership with Pocket, the read-it-later service, before Mozilla acquired it. Pocket gave users the ability to send articles to their e-readers and read them, like they would read e-books. A couple of months ago, Mozilla announced that Pocket was shutting down in June, and it is would no longer available on Kobo devices. However, there is some good news: Kobo has just announced that it will be replacing Pocket with Instapaper.

https://goodereader.com/blog/kobo-ereader-news/...520acquired%2520it.
 

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/...ter-impact-geoff-hollingworth-fq9ae
 

July 23, 2025

Japan Credit Rating Agency, Ltd. (JCR) announces the following credit rating.

Rakuten Group, Inc. (security code: 4755) Bonds: A-

(1) Consolidated non-GAAP operating income for the fiscal year ended December 2024 (FY2024) was 7 billion yen (a loss of 153 billion yen in the previous fiscal year), marking the first income in five fiscal years since FY2019. The profitability of the mobile business is improving, with Rakuten Mobile, Inc. (“Rakuten Mobile”)’s non-consolidated EBITDA turning to be positive in a single month. For FY2025, the Company plans to increase consolidated non-GAAP operating income and achieve a full-year positive non-consolidated EBITDA for Rakuten Mobile.

(2) As of July 7, 2025, Rakuten Mobile’s number of contract lines reached 9 million (8.85 million excluding BCP contract lines). As shown by this fact, the KPIs of the mobile business have been steady. As competition with rivals for contract acquisition intensifies, JCR will continue to closely watch whether this direction is maintained. There has been no change to the financial strategy from previous policies. The funds for the redemption of the corporate bonds maturing in FY2025 have already been in place, and JCR believes that there are no particular concerns on the financial side. The proceeds from the bond issue will be used for 5G-related investment (Bonds no. 23 and 24) and CP redemption funds, etc. (Bonds no. 25).

Akihisa Motonishi, Naoki Muramatsu

https://www.jcr.co.jp/download/...15e8f699596c10bef1434/25d0506_f.pdf
 

The Open Radio Access Network (Open RAN) market is experiencing rapid growth, with a projected market size of USD 20.9 billion by 2030. This growth is driven by a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 39.4% from 2024 to 2030. Key factors fueling this expansion include the increasing demand for network flexibility and scalability, the need for cost-effective 5G infrastructure, and the push for open standards and multi-vendor environments.

In conclusion, the Open RAN market is poised for substantial growth, driven by its ability to offer flexible, scalable, and cost-effective network solutions, particularly in the context of 5G deployments and the broader shift towards open and interoperable architectures.

https://www.google.com/...lysis+-+growth+trends+%26+forecast+(2026+-+  

https://www.rakuten-card.co.jp/corporate/info/history/rakutencard20th/
 

May 13, 2025

Open RAN promised to revolutionise the radio access network marketplace, with its open interface specifications enabling a more diverse supplier ecosystem which, in turn, would lead to more choice, greater innovation and lower costs for telcos. However, Open RAN has diverged from its original concept into what it is today. How has the technology changed and how have the views of telcos changed? This panel discusses the state of Open RAN in 2025 and its future potential, the lessons from trials and early deployments, and its effect on the wider RAN marketplace.

Featuring:

Robert Curran, Consulting Analyst, Appledore Research

Sarat Puthenpura, Chief Architect, Open Radio Access Network, Open Networking Foundation (ONF) and Aether, Linux Foundation

Javed Khan, Sr. Director, 5G RAN Product Management, Rakuten Symphony

Warren Bayek, Vice President, Technology Office, Wind River

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eUaLxaN-zZo
 

New Rakuten American Express Card, Powered by Imprint, Offers an Extra Four Percent Cash Back on Rakuten Purchases

With the Rakuten Card, cardholders will receive an extra four percent Cash Back on top of what they already earn while shopping on Rakuten's platform of more than 3,500 stores, in-person, or online, up to the first $7,000 of credit card spending each calendar year.

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/...ap-13-consumer-press-104200058.html
 

Analystenerwartungen für Rakuten steigen trotz kurzfristigem Kursrückgang

Trotz eines kurzfristigen Kursrückgangs bleiben die Analystenerwartungen für Rakuten im Jahr 2025 insgesamt positiv: Der Analystenkonsens liegt im Bereich "Aufstocken" beziehungsweise "Kaufen", das durchschnittliche Kursziel bewegt sich stabil über dem aktuellen Kurs und zeigt damit Aufwärtspotenzial.

Wichtige Details:

Das durchschnittliche Kursziel für die Aktie liegt derzeit zwischen 950 und 1.020 JPY, was etwa 10–22% über dem letzten Kursniveau (ca. 910 JPY) liegt.

Die Analystenempfehlungen verteilen sich auf etwa 40–53% "Kaufen" und 47–60% "Halten"; ein Verkauf wird kaum empfohlen.

Umsatz und EBITDA sollen laut Schätzungen 2025 weiter wachsen: Für 2025 erwarten Analysten einen Umsatzanstieg auf rund 2,48 Billionen JPY und eine EBITDA-Marge von über 16%, deutlich über dem Vorjahreswert.

https://www.perplexity.ai/search/...-fur-rakut-pWeyJSYCR5a1KYn.9ot4FQ



 

Rakuten Mobile’s virtualized technology Rakuten Mobile built one of the world’s first fully virtualized, cloud-native mobile networks using Open RAN architecture. In conventional networks, the infrastructure is typically built by deploying dedicated hardware and integrated software. Rakuten Mobile, on the other hand, introduced virtualization technology, replacing hardware functions with software throughout the entire network. This enables network automation and significantly reduces operating costs. Moreover, when updates to the network are needed (e.g., 4G to 5G) – which is a challenge with conventional mobile network infrastructure – Rakuten Mobile can simply update the network software with no need for costly hardware changes, thereby reducing capital investment.

The mobile carrier industry is a capital-intensive sector that requires large-scale capital investment. However, once the break-even point is surpassed, it generates stable cash flow over the long term. As Japan’s newest and most modern mobile network, Rakuten Mobile has incorporated fully virtualized technology into its network, which is a fundamentally different approach from legacy operators. This enables automation and remote control across many parts of the network, significantly reducing operating expenses and future capital investment costs, giving us a long-term cost advantage.

https://global.rakuten.com/corp/investors/documents/annual.html
 

Expanding our global business is another important element in expanding the Rakuten
Ecosystem. Unfortunately, with the population of Japan declining year by year,
developing markets globally is extremely important for achieving long-term and
sustainable growth. Rakuten’s global strategy can be broadly divided into two
categories. One is development centered on our Group services that form the
Rakuten Ecosystem. The other is centered on our global platform, Rakuten
Symphony. For the former, we aim to link services such as Rakuten Rewards,
Rakuten Viber, Rakuten Kobo and Rakuten Viki. In 2024, we expanded our customer
base for each service, generating approximately 14 billion yen in profit from
these four services. As a next step, we would like to develop Rakuten’s
membership business overseas and promote and expand cross-use. This can be
achieved by focusing on points or cashback programs, as well as by providing
excellent UX through AI specialized for the Rakuten Ecosystem as mentioned
above.

For the latter, we are promoting the spread of Open RAN solutions, which support the
cost advantage of Rakuten Mobile. Rakuten is the first company in the world
to commercialize end to-end, fully virtualized, cloud-native mobile network
technology. In the conventional telecom industry, it was common to purchase and
implement packaged solutions from specific vendors. Open RAN is a technology
that opens up these specifications and enables the interconnection of equipment
from different vendors. As a leading company in the industry, we will promote
this while developing Symphony as a platform operator that provides a range of
solutions that make up the network. We’re aiming to provide not only Open RAN
solutions, but also the high-tech cloud technology that makes it work. In
addition, we can offer Rakuten Ecosystem features, such as membership systems
and point programs to support consumer services development, to third parties.

https://global.rakuten.com/corp/investors/documents/annual.html


 

The Rakuten International business unit heightens Rakuten’s global presence through its diverse portfolio of services, including cashback rewards, digital content, and communication apps. Its key services include:

Rakuten Rewards: A leading shopping platform offering cashback deals and rewards to consumers in the U.S., Canada and U.K. Rakuten Rewards helps its members save on their everyday purchases from thousands of retailers and services in apparel, health and beauty, dining, grocery, travel, and electronics, among many other categories.

Rakuten Viber: This popular super app connects 1.57 billion people with free and secure messaging, high-quality voice calls, video calls, and more. With users in over 190 countries and regions and rapidly expanding business-to business and payments offerings, Viber makes marketing easier for brands to attract their audience.

Rakuten Kobo: Catering to book lovers worldwide, Rakuten Kobo suits all reading preferences with its suite of award-winning e-readers and a bookstore offering more than six million eBooks and audiobooks.

Rakuten Viki: A leading platform for Asian entertainment and culture where millions of people discover and consume primetime shows and movies subtitled in more than 200 languages by our community of avid fans.

Driven by Rakuten Kobo and Rakuten Viber, Rakuten International realized strong revenue growth in 2024. The successful implementation of cost-cutting and profitability improvement initiatives through its services resulted in a full-year operating profit.

https://global.rakuten.com/corp/investors/documents/annual.html  

Rakuten Viber launches Viber Ads Manager to help agencies, advertisers in PHL run campaigns directly

July 19, 2025

Popular messaging platform Rakuten Viber has launched Viber Ads Manager, a self-service advertising platform that enables small and medium agencies and advertisers in the Philippines to independently run ad campaigns in target markets with a pay-as-you-go model.

Powered by global ad tech provider Adslot, Viber Ads Manager now gives direct access to Viber’s ad inventory and extensive global user base. Smaller advertisers can choose from preset advertising packages tailored to their goals and budgets, target audiences with ease to maximize visibility and performance, and engage users through captivating mobile ad formats.

Viber Ads Manager is now available in the Philippines, and small and medium agencies and advertisers can now join the platform to run their own ad campaigns.

Thousands of global and regional brands already advertise on Viber via the Viber for Business suite tailored for enterprises. Viber Ads Manager complements the app’s existing self-serve accounts which help smaller businesses optimize communication with customers.

“Viber Ads Manager is the next step in Viber’s super app strategy, part of which is to create an ecosystem of solutions for businesses of all sizes,” said Cristina Constandache, Chief Revenue Officer at Rakuten Viber. “We’re excited to launch it in a number of our key markets after successful testing, giving smaller advertisers a simple way to run targeted campaigns on their own terms.”

https://businessmirror.com.ph/2025/07/19/...l-run-campaigns-directly/
 

Rakuten Group Co., Ltd. 25th Unsecured Corporate Bonds (New Bonds)

It was sold out due to popular demand.

Official name: Rakuten Group Co., Ltd. 25th Unsecured Corporate Bonds (with special provisions for the same ranking limited to bonds)


https://www.rakuten-sec.co.jp/web/bond/jbond/...468cd16e48d26581769c3


 

Affiliate Intelligence Showcases Rakuten Advertising's AI Expertise

July 25, 2025

Rakuten Advertising's Affiliate Intelligence is a suite of cutting-edge AI-powered tools designed to provide advertisers with unique insights and ensure robust brand protection. For example, Rakuten Advertising Detect can pinpoint instances of ad fraud or performance anomalies, while Partnership Discovery identifies optimal partnerships between advertisers and publishers. In this report, we hear from Rakuten Advertising's AI strategy leader at Rakuten Optimism in the US, and from a user of Partnership Discovery who boosted their sales by nearly 40%.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m6bHmHzc_fs&t=23s

 

Demonstrations at O-RAN Spring 2025 Global PlugFest

Jul 24, 2025

Rakuten Mobile, Rakuten Symphony and Quanta Cloud Technology (QCT) demonstrate energy savings at the Japan OTIC Lab: RF channel reconfiguration research has been conducted by Rakuten Mobile, Rakuten Symphony and QCT to validate energy savings for a complete end-to-end 4G mobile network lab demonstration setup. Energy savings have been achieved through RF channel reconfiguration rApp using real-time power measurement tools from the Japan OTIC lab which provides an independent and open interconnectivity verification environment to test and certify hardware including base station equipment.

https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/...Spring-2025-Global-PlugFest
 

Rakuten Card Premium Program Adds Rakuten Travel Benefits, Points Up to 3x

Tuesday, May 6, 2025

Rakuten Card has added benefits from the travel booking service “Rakuten Travel” to its “Rakuten Card Premium Program” starting April 25.

When booking domestic accommodation through Rakuten Travel, if you make a prepayment with a Rakuten Card and register, “Rakuten Black Card” and “Rakuten Premium Card” members will receive 3.5 times the Rakuten points, while “Rakuten Gold Card” members will receive 3 times the points.

https://en.traicy.com/posts/2025050622893/
 

Rakuten stock initiated with Overweight rating by JPMorgan on ecosystem growth

Published 07/09/2025, 12:15 PM

JPMorgan has initiated coverage on Rakuten with an Overweight rating and a price target of JPY1,150.00, citing the company’s improving mobile segment and expanding ecosystem.

The Japanese e-commerce and digital services company has experienced share price weakness since December 2017 due to concerns about growing investment burdens in its mobile segment, according to JPMorgan. The firm notes that these losses are now diminishing, positioning Rakuten for improved financial performance.

JPMorgan expects Rakuten to further expand its price advantage in the mobile segment while addressing connection issues and strengthening customer support. These improvements should lead to accelerating net subscriber growth and average revenue per user (ARPU) growth.

The analysis highlights Rakuten’s fintech segment as another area of strength, with Rakuten Card and Rakuten Bank increasingly becoming primary financial service providers for their users. This contributes to what JPMorgan describes as a "multilayered ecosystem" spanning mobile, marketplace, and financial services.

From a financial perspective, JPMorgan believes Rakuten’s credit risk will remain limited as free cash flow improves, supporting the firm’s positive outlook on the stock through its December 2026 price target.

https://www.investing.com/news/analyst-ratings/...growth-93CH-4128655
 

Rakuten Group Co., Ltd. 25th Unsecured Corporate Bonds (New Bonds) was sold out due to popular demand.

https://www.rakuten-sec.co.jp/web/bond/jbond/...468cd16e48d26581769c3

 

https://network.mobile.rakuten.co.jp/campaign/mnp/...mnp-10000_250414
 

Rakuten Maritime Receives Third Innovation Endorsement from ClassNK for Cyber Threat Intelligence

ClassNK certifies CYTUR-MCTI (Maritime Cyber Threat Intelligence), a core module created by CYTUR, for real-time cyber threat intelligence

Endorsement recognizes Rakuten Maritime’s end-to-end cybersecurity approach for smart and autonomous ships

Seoul and Tokyo, July 28, 2025 – Rakuten Symphony today announced that, alongside its partner company CYTUR, it has obtained an Innovation Endorsement for Products & Solutions from ClassNK, a Japan-based leader in maritime certifications, for CYTUR-MCTI (Maritime Cybersecurity Threat Intelligence), an advanced cybersecurity solution on its comprehensive maritime cybersecurity service, Rakuten Maritime. This recognition marks the third endorsement from ClassNK for Rakuten Maritime’s CYTUR suite, following earlier certifications in April 2025 for CYTUR Threat Modeler and CYTUR Scanner-Portable.

Launched in December 2024, Rakuten Maritime delivers an integrated cybersecurity platform designed for various vessel types. The solution offers protection across the entire vessel lifecycle, from design and operation to maintenance, helping shipbuilders and operators address evolving cybersecurity challenges.

The newly certified CYTUR-MCTI module provides real-time cybersecurity insights based on advanced maritime cyber threat intelligence. The module proactively monitors threats across the maritime ecosystem and offers continuous expert consulting to help clients respond effectively to evolving risks.
Specifically, CYTUR-MCTI analyzes extensive data collected from real maritime environments to identify vessels potentially exposed to risks similar to recent cyberattacks, delivering this information in real time. It also enables early detection of system vulnerabilities, allowing organizations to respond swiftly and strategically. As a result, CYTUR-MCTI helps prevent security incidents while supporting a more strategic and resilient approach to cybersecurity.

Faced with growing cyber risks in the maritime industry, this latest endorsement from ClassNK highlights Rakuten Maritime’s commitment to addressing emerging cybersecurity challenges and building trust through globally recognized solutions.

Ryan Son, President of Rakuten Symphony’s Internet Services Business Unit, and Head of Rakuten Maritime, commented, “The maritime cybersecurity paradigm is rapidly evolving from post-incident response to proactive, end-to-end protection embedded from the vessel design phase. Receiving three Innovation Endorsements from ClassNK — especially this endorsement recognizing the innovative features of CYTUR-MCTI — demonstrates our continued commitment to developing advanced cybersecurity capabilities that support smart ship innovation and maritime safety.”

Looking ahead, Rakuten Maritime will continue to advance technologies aligned with international regulations, support the digital transformation of the maritime sector and contribute to creating a safer, more efficient cybersecurity environment, ultimately playing a key role in setting global standards for maritime cybersecurity.

https://global.rakuten.com/corp/news/update/2025/0728_01.html

 

EBITDA rose to ¥79.9 billion ($515 million), a 51.4% increase year-over-year. CFO Kenji Hirose clarified during Rakuten’s earnings call that the widened net loss was primarily driven by technical hedging impacts, not underlying business deterioration.  

Rakuten International’s global expansion with CEO Amit Patel

11.07.2025

On the sidelines of Rakuten Optimism U.S. 2025, Rakuten International CEO Amit Patel reveals the global businesses driving company growth, how Rakuten leverages AI to boost efficiency and innovation, and the importance of building resilience in the workplace.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XziBZo1hpc4&t=3s