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/  

Self-funding for the financing needs of Rakuten Mobile

Rakuten Mobile noted its profitability has been improving in accord with a steady increase of its subscriber base and capex reduction. The Rakuten Group’s finance strategy aims to establish self-funding for the financing needs of Rakuten Mobile through internal cash flows within the Group by the end of this year, it added.

https://www.rcrwireless.com/20240812/...through-leasing-mobile-assets
 

Quellen in japanischer Sprache kann man sich problemlos ins Deutsche übersetzen lassen bzw. werden bei entsprechender Einstellung sogar automatisch ins Deutsche übersetzt.

Warum also ein Verstoß gegen die Nutzungsbedingungen von ariva vorliegt, ist für mich ein Rätsel. Bzw. ein Nutzungsverstoß liegt, was immer der Moderator schreibt, nicht vor.  

https://www.precedenceresearch.com/open-ran-market
 

Idea of the Week: Rakuten Group, a Rare Opportunity to Capture 9% Return (New on Bond Express)
Rakuten's operations and credit profile improved to varying degrees last year, and the bond's risk-return profile was attractive enough for investors interested in Japanese corporate bonds

by  Dwight Luo
Published on 04 Mar 2024

https://www.bondsupermart.com/bsm/article-detail/...press-RCMS_289040
 

Rakuten Ichiba's e-commerce retail sales share Japan 2017-2022

Published by C. Diep, Aug 30, 2024

In 2022, Rakuten Marketplace occupied a 23.3 percent of Japan's e-commerce market, making it the leading e-commerce brand. Over the last six years, the figures have steadily increased.

2017: 16.9%
2018: 17.6%
2019: 19.3%
2020: 20.5%
2021: 22.5%
2022: 23.3%

Rakuten Marketplace, commonly known as Rakuten Ichiba in Japan, is operated by the technology conglomerate Rakuten, Inc. Apart from the core marketplace platform, the company also operates the C2C platform Rakuma.

https://www.statista.com/statistics/1488531/...ce-market-share-japan/

 

As of September 2024, the Open Radio Access Network (Open RAN) market is projected to be worth approximately $2.8 billion1. The market is expected to grow significantly, reaching around $20.9 billion by 2030. This growth is driven by the increasing adoption of Open RAN technologies in both public and private networks, with a notable focus on brownfield deployments1.

Source: Copilot of Bing  

https://www.rakuten-sec.co.jp/web/info/info20240823-01.html
 

 

By Luu Quy   July 17, 2024 | 02:00 am PT

Last year it was used by 13% of internet users aged 16 to 64 in Vietnam and 12th most popular among social media platforms, with Facebook, Zalo, TikTok, and Messenger claiming the top spots.

Raykov said while Viber is far from reaching the level of popularity enjoyed by local app Zalo, it could still take advantage of the gap in demand that other companies have not prioritized.

People use other apps for general conversation, but look to Viber when they need high security and protection, he said.

"We aim to reach professionals who trust that our technology can protect the most important contents."

Viber is also working to partner with banks in Vietnam to add a feature that allows users to inform each other about a successful bank transfer.
The company also hopes to reach customers in the public sector and major businesses, Raykov added.

https://e.vnexpress.net/news/business/companies/...-race-4771091.html
 

Rakuten Mobile is improving monetization by operating as a platform, not as an MNO.

https://symphony.rakuten.com/dtw-2024
 

Race to expand corporate economic blocs heats up in Japan

Mar 25, 2024

Competition is escalating among corporate groups in Japan as they strive to expand their spheres of influence by enticing customers with a variety of services, often bolstered by reward points, primarily geared toward shopping purposes.

Mobile phone service providers such as NTT Docomo are following the lead of internet-related conglomerate Rakuten Group, while megabanks are also entering the market, driven by the prospect of rising interest rates in Japan.

The field of competition has expanded to include securities companies, which have been leveraging the increasing interest in investment among retail investors following the expansion of the tax-exempt investment program known as NISA in January.

According to a survey conducted last year by Tokyo-based research company MMD Labo, 70.2% of respondents indicated that they utilized services while considering the "economic spheres" of corporate groups.

Regarding the most frequently used reward points, Rakuten Point ranked first, with 35.0%, followed by NTT Docomo's d Point, with 14.0%.

https://www.japantimes.co.jp/business/2024/03/25/...t-reward-service/
 

It sounds like Rakuten’s overseas businesses are thriving!

Rakuten TV: 112.1 million users, up 44.2% year-over-year.
Rakuten Kobo: 66.6 million registered users, up 6.2% year-over-year, and already profitable.
Viber: 1.5 billion users, up 5.3% year-over-year, and also profitable.
Viki: About 90 million users and profitable as well.

These numbers are impressive and show significant growth and profitability across various platforms.

Source: Bing Copilot  

Rakuten’s strategy to scale its AI efforts involves several key components:

In-House Development: By building AI solutions from the ground up, Rakuten ensures a deep understanding of the technology, which allows for more tailored and effective implementations.

Integration Across Ecosystem: Leveraging AI across the entire Rakuten ecosystem amplifies its impact, enhancing various services and operations.

Focus on Efficiency: The “Triple 20” objective aims to improve operational, marketing, and client efficiency by 20% each, driving significant business improvements.

Practical and Cost-Effective Solutions: Emphasizing practical applications and cost-effectiveness ensures that AI initiatives are sustainable and deliver tangible benefits.

Continuous Innovation: Staying at the forefront of AI advancements and continuously integrating new technologies helps maintain a competitive edge.


By focusing on these areas, Rakuten aims to not only enhance its own operations but also deliver superior value to its customers.

Source: Bing Copilot  

Environmentally Friendly Attire Showcased at Tokyo Fashion Week; Brand Displays Clothes Dyed with Low-Water Technology

Rakuten Fashion Week Tokyo for the spring and summer 2025 season opened on Monday, with about 30 fashion brands from home and abroad taking part in the official program alone.

https://japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/culture/fashion/20240904-208940/
 

Rakuten Travel steps up engagement with Singaporeans

By TTG Asia

Posted on 12 April, 2024 15:56

Japanese OTA Rakuten Travel recently hosted a closed-door influencer gathering as well as a public engagement in Singapore’s CBD in a bid to inspire greater interest in Japan.

The influencer gathering on March 27 was attended by almost 40 guests with a combined reach of nearly four million. Attendees were introduced to Rakuten Travel’s extensive features, including its wide range of travel services and the largest selection of Japanese hotels among travel agencies in Japan.

Rakuten Travel provides an extensive range of ryokans (Japanese-style inns) and hotels throughout the country and is committed to offering a “Japan Quality” experience throughout the entire accommodation booking journey.

https://www.ttgasia.com/2024/04/12/...p-engagement-with-singaporeans/
 

 

"What's Best About Rakuten Mobile" User Interviews! | RNN

September 05, 2024

Users who referred the most people to Rakuten Mobile were invited to Rakuten Optimism 2024 for an awards ceremony. Check out this series for a recap of the event and interviews with award recipients, where they talk about different topics such as why they can make a solid recommendation of Rakuten Mobile and their use of social media to make referrals to foreign nationals living in Japan.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YcO6KCschIs
 

Rakuten Viki Brings ‘Yumi’s Cells: The Movie’ & Bilibili Anime Collabs to U.S. Screens

By Mercedes Milligan July 17, 2024

With the Asia-Pacific animation market expected to reach a $145 million-plus value by 2029 (per Data Bridge Market Research) leading Asian content streamer Rakuten Viki is investing in new partnerships to bring more animated content to its users. The service has announced the highly anticipated CG anime feature Yumi’s Cells: The Movie will launch this week, as well as a new collaboration with Chinese content powerhouse Bilibili.

Rakuten Viki has grown its registered user base in the U.S. and worldwide by 23% since April 2023 (now numbering 90 million). The service, which took off with the rising demand for K-dramas, has continued to grow with not only popular Korean content, but also series and films from Japan, Mainland China, Taiwan, Vietnam, Thailand and Singapore, among other regions.

https://www.animationmagazine.net/2024/07/...-collabs-to-u-s-screens/
 

Juniper Research reckons O-RAN spending will increase over 5x by 2029

Another day, another bullish mobile industry forecast, this time anticipating a boom in spending on Open RAN despite a stagnant broader market.

Scott Bicheno July 29, 2024

uniper Research release a press release to promote its new Global Operator O-RAN Strategies, 2024-2029 report. The headline data point is that ‘annual operator investment into O-RAN (Open Radio Access Networks) will reach $11 billion in 2029; rising from $2 billion in 2024.’ So that’s 5.5x growth over five years at a CAGR of over 40%.

https://www.telecoms.com/open-ran/...ng-will-increase-over-5x-by-2029
 

Auch Apple und Nvidia erwägen offenbar Einstieg bei KI-Firma

Das führende KI-Start-up dürfte in einer neuen Finanzierungsrunde mit über 100 Milliarden Dollar bewertet werden. Mit Nvidia und Apple könnten laut Medienberichten zwei weitere Tech-Riesen einsteigen.

30.08.2024 - 09:48 Uhr

New York. Das führende Start-up für Künstliche Intelligenz (KI), OpenAI, darf auf weitere prominente Investoren hoffen. Wie die Agentur Bloomberg und die Zeitung „Wall Street Journal“ am Donnerstag berichteten, könnten sich der Chipentwickler Nvidia und der Tech-Riese Apple an einer neuen Finanzierungsrunde beteiligen.

Bereits am Mittwoch war über eine geplante Runde berichtet worden, die OpenAI mit mehr als 100 Milliarden Dollar bewerten könnte. Diese soll vom Wagniskapitalgeber Thrive angeführt werden, auch der bisherige Ankerinvestor Microsoft könnte sich demnach beteiligen.

https://www.handelsblatt.com/technik/it-internet/...031t00000PCrtuAAD
 

July 16, 2024

We spoke with Rakuten International Chief Operation Officer, Adrienne Down Coulson on the sidelines of Rakuten Optimism US in Carlsbad, California about how the company is creating a more equitable employee experience across regions. Coulson also shared her thoughts on Rakuten International’s European expansion, the launch of Rakuten+ and synergies between the company’s e-commerce and entertainment businesses.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q83dmYZ164c
 

Open RAN needs a new ecosystem. It is here.

Read our Deep Dive report “The Open RAN ecosystem gathers steam. The future RAN is open” where we tried to address many of the outstanding questions, with the help of eleven vendors and operators: NEC, Vodafone, Ciena, Analog, Fujitsu, Rakuten Symphony, Picocom, Dish, Verizon, TIP, and Radisys. You can get the report for free, and read or watch the conversations here.

https://senzafili.com/open-ran/
 

https://markets.businessinsider.com/bonds/...s-bond-2027-usj64264ag96  

Klink.cloud Partners with Rakuten Viber To Enhance Business Communication in APAC

SINGAPORE, 2 SEP 2024– Klink.cloud , a leading omnichannel contact center platform in APAC, announces an official partnership with Rakuten Viber, the global leader in private and secure messaging and voice-based communication. This collaboration empowers businesses across the Asia-Pacific (APAC) by incorporating Viber Chatbots into klink.cloud's unified platform, including email, chat, social media, SMS, and telephony.

The collaboration ensures a consistent and efficient customer experience, particularly in key APAC regions like the Philippines, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam and Sri Lanka, while also offering cost-effective, secure communication on a user-friendly platform. Klink.cloud’s expertise in Conversational AI development, combined with Rakuten Viber’s capabilities, enables businesses to deploy Generative AI that handle inquiries, automate responses, and provide 24/7 support.

https://www.klink.cloud/post/...nhance-business-communication-in-apac
 

In Europe, the revenue in the Free ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) market) market is projected to reach US$490.20m in 2024.

It is expected to show an annual growth rate (CAGR 2024-2027) of 9.20%, resulting in a projected market volume of US$638.40m by 2027.

By 2027, the number of users in the Free ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) market) market is expected to amount to 184.6m users.

In Europe, the rise of FAST platforms like Pluto TV and Rakuten TV has revolutionized the way viewers consume free ad-supported streaming TV, creating a new era of digital entertainment.

https://www.statista.com/outlook/dmo/...rted-streaming-tv-fast/europe