Rakuten wesentlich besser als Rocket

Rakuten Sales: Japan eCommerce Data (Updated Sep '25)

TMO GroupSeptember 12, 2025

Japan boasts one of the world’s most mature consumer markets, with eCommerce sales reaching approximately US $110 billion in 2023—and continuing to grow steadily. Fueled by high disposable incomes, a strong preference for domestic and premium goods, and near-universal internet access, Japan ranks as the fourth-largest eCommerce market globally.

Within this landscape, Rakuten remains a cornerstone of online shopping behavior. With over US $30 billion in annual transaction volume and a sprawling digital ecosystem that spans shopping, finance, travel, and mobile services, Rakuten’s loyalty-driven model makes it a strategic priority for both domestic brands and cross-border sellers aiming to expand in Japan.

www.tmogroup.asia/insights/japan-ecommerce-sales/

www.rakuten-sec.co.jp/web/campaign/

1 day ago

By Pradeep Ratnala

blog.viki.com/...ge-for-personalization-at-scale-3a97006d3c06

Zero Read Downtime: High-Impact Database Upgrades at Viki

Sep 10, 2025

By Don Thembiliyagoda, Daniel Moses

Background: The Challenge of Scaling Database Upgrades

blog.viki.com/...mpact-database-upgrades-at-viki-80e6176bd665

Rapid Deployment and Customization: Designed for agility, Agent Studio facilitates rapid agent rollout and customization. This capability is crucial for industries that require quick adaptation to evolving market demands and technological advancements.

Accessibility and Actionability: By simplifying the development process, Agent Studio makes advanced AI accessible and actionable for a wider range of teams within an organization. This empowers more employees to build and deploy AI solutions, fostering a culture of innovation and accelerating digital transformation.

Data Source Flexibility: The platform offers the crucial flexibility to integrate with multiple data sources and domains without a hardcore dependency on specificOSS, providing immense adaptability for diverse enterprise environments.

Agent Studio is a catalyst for rapidbusiness transformation. By overcoming the traditional barriers to AI development, it empowers global tech and telecom companies to unlock the full potential of AI, driving automation, enhancing efficiency, and gaining a significant competitive edge.

symphony.rakuten.com/blog/igniting-innovation-ai

Earlier this year, Rakuten Bank reached 17 million accounts in Japan — without a single physical branch; “Rakuten Bank is Japan’s largest digital bank in terms of both the number of accounts and total deposits,” President and CEO Tomotaka Torin told the Rakuten AI Optimism conference in July; “We’ve reached 17 million accounts and deposits totaling 12 trillion yen, and both our account numbers and total deposits have been steadily growing;” Torin, who joined Rakuten Securities, Inc. in 2006 and became CEO of Rakuten Bank in June 2025, has built his career across institutions including SBI Shinsei Bank, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and Mizuho Bank; at the conference, he broke down the secrets behind Rakuten Bank’s rapid ascent — and how AI is shaping the industry.

medium.com/tokyo-fintech/...fintech-observer-129-e3e7a15733b5

Explore key affiliate marketing statistics for 2025, including industry growth, spending trends, ROI insights, and emerging market opportunities shaping the future.

www.publift.com/blog/affiliate-marketing-statistics

The affiliate marketing industry is growing rapidly, with its market size reaching $18.5 billion in 2024. This significant growth showcases the increasing reliance of businesses on affiliate programs to drive customer acquisition and boost brand awareness. The performance-based nature of partnerships makes them an attractive strategy, as companies only pay for actual conversions, ensuring a higher ROI.

The affiliate marketing industry is projected to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8.00%, pushing its valuation beyond $31 billion by 2031. This growth rate signifies the increasing adoption of affiliate marketing companies across various sectors, driven by their cost-effectiveness and measurable outcomes. Businesses are increasingly allocating more of their marketing budgets to affiliate programs, recognizing their potential for high ROI.

www.publift.com/blog/affiliate-marketing-statistics

Streamer Rakuten Viki Makes Push for U.S. Asian Drama Fans With ‘K-Drama Day’ Ad Campaign Starring Will Poulter and Victoria Justice

Cynthia Littleton
Fri, 26 September 2025

Rakuten Viki is one of Asia’s top regional entertainment streaming platforms. The company clearly has ambition to grow in English-speaking markets as it mounts a “K-Drama Day” promotional campaign complete with ad spots featuring actors Will Poulter, Victoria Justice and Alicia Hannah-Kim.

“Over the past two years, the excitement around K-Drama Day has grown on a global scale. This year, we are taking the celebration to a whole new level by collaborating with Will Poulter, Victoria Justice and Alicia Hannah-Kim, spotlighting the vast fandom of K-dramas,” said Karen Paek, VP of marketing at Rakuten Viki. “We’re also providing free access to fan-favorite series, launching exciting giveaways with world-class partners and more. Viki is on a mission to share the joy of K-dramas with audiences around the world.”

Rakuten Viki is part of the Tokyo-based conglomerate Rakuten Group, which has broad interests in retail and services, consumer products, technology and media and more. The company has more than 30,000 employees in 30 countries. Rakuten Viki is based in San Mateo, Calif. and in Tokyo.

malaysia.news.yahoo.com/...ten-viki-makes-push-202821755.html

The North America and Europe Open RAN market is set to grow, fueled by 5G rollout, urbanization, and rising demand for flexible, cost-effective networks.

Polaris Market Research
September 25, 2025

The North America and Europe Open Radio Access Network (Open RAN) market size was USD 1.41 billion in 2024 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 32.33% from 2025 to 2034. The major factors driving the demand for Open RAN in these markets are the rapid adoption of 5G networks, increasing smartphone usage, and urbanization trends. Open Radio Access Network (Open RAN) is a new, adaptable framework for mobile networks that breaks apart the conventional RAN components, allowing operators to combine and utilize hardware and software components from different sources.

In contrast to traditional proprietary systems, Open RAN facilitates interoperability, enabling more innovation, cost savings, and scalability in the deployment of 4G and 5G networks. It creates an open environment in which operators can pick the optimal solutions for their requirements, promoting competition and diminishing vendor lock-in.

Important industry leaders include:

Ericsson
Fujitsu
Mavenir
NEC Corporation
Nokia
Parallel Wireless
Radisys
Rakuten Symphony
Samsung

www.einnews.com/pr_news/852354617/...34-growing-at-32-33-cagr

India’s “immense potential” – Tech Mahindra on private 5G, home and away

September 25, 2025
Private 5GPrivate Networks

Private 5G is essential to Industry 4.0, says Tech Mahindra; here, it discusses its expanding private 5G portfolio with global enterprises, as well as big opportunities in its home market – despite spectrum hurdles in India.

In alliance with Rakuten Symphony, Cisco, and Airspan Networks, Tech Mahindra has launched the Real Open RAN Licensing Program with an aim to accelerate global adoption of Open RAN by leveraging the strengths of each partner. In Germany, we collaborated with a leading automobile company to deploy a private 5G-enabled smart factory using edge AI and digital twins. In the US, we collaborated with a major logistics provider to deploy private 5G in warehouse operations to enhance real-time tracking and automation.

www.rcrwireless.com/20250925/private-5g/...a-india-private-5g

Top Japanese Internet & Media Stocks for 2025, According to Morgan Stanley

Published 09/12/2025, 05:50 AM

Rakuten rounds out the list with Morgan Stanley highlighting continued mobile subscriber and profit growth that appears undervalued in the current stock price. The mobile division benefits from an enhanced pricing advantage amid competitors’ price hikes. Analysts suggest positive stock price movement even if Rakuten eventually follows industry trends with its own price increases.
The company’s e-commerce division continues expanding sales and profits with structural market growth, while its financial services segment demonstrates clear synergies with e-commerce operations and stable profit expansion across business lines.

Rakuten has received positive analyst coverage, with Nomura upgrading the company to Buy and JPMorgan initiating coverage with an Overweight rating, both citing growth prospects in its mobile segment.

www.investing.com/news/stock-market-news/...nley-93CH-4236668

CAGR of over 32.6%

The global open radio access network market size surpassed USD 3.4 billion in 2025 and is projected to witness a CAGR of over 32.6%, crossing USD 57.14 billion revenue by 2035, driven by the growth of demand for 5G network technologies all over the world.

www.bing.com/...;FORM=ANAB01&adppc=EDGEDSP&PC=EDGEDSP

Prodapt and Rakuten Symphony have partnered to enable telecom providers and enterprises to embrace zero-touch network operation and cloud-native computing. These solutions combine Prodapt’s consulting and managed services with Rakuten Cloud software, which includes Rakuten Cloud-Native Platform, Rakuten Cloud-Native Orchestrator and Rakuten Cloud-Native Storage; and Rakuten Symphony’s suite of next-gen OSS software, which includes Rakuten Site Management, Rakuten Intelligent Operations, and Rakuten AI for Telecom.

“The Prodapt-Rakuten partnership is a testament to a strong, practical collaboration, powered by our joint commitment to delivering Practical AI to our customers,” Grover said. That practicality will bring a world of value to telecom operators—especially in the U.S. and increasingly in APAC—who are under intense pressure to lower costs and improve operational efficiency.

Building on zero-touch network success

These service providers are undertaking a big push to achieve zero-touch operations, with Rakuten Mobile in Japan having led the way by building a fully zero touch and cloud native greenfield infrastructure. The tangible success at Rakuten Mobile proves that it’s possible and re-creatable. Through our partnership, we want to work with Prodapt to bring that same capability to a global customer base.

Agentic AI for process improvement

Agentic AI is a major part of making zero touch networks a reality. Prodapt is building AI agents that continuously monitor processes, learn from experience, and make adjustments in real time delivering proactive, intelligent operation.

Grover said, “When a large Tier 1 operator says that they want automation, they want agentic AI solutions, that's where we come in. And who do we take to these customers? Rakuten, because you understand—you are digitally AI and cloud-native.”

This shift away from legacy network operations centers (NOC) and security operations centers (SOC), environments filled with hundreds of people, is essential. Customers can no longer be competitive with that complexity. They want proven, intelligent systems that can deliver results at scale, without requiring an army of technicians to maintain them.

Cloud-native software success

The Rakuten Cloud software is another focus of the partnership with Prodapt. Because the Rakuten Cloud-Native Storage system supports persistent storage it opens up new opportunities for service providers and enterprises.

Grover said many customers don’t know how easy it can be to deploy the software – they have been told it's more challenging than it really is.

“We don’t scare our customers by talking about high technology and how very difficult it is to integrate,” he said. “We give them confidence that with Rakuten Cloud solutions, we are creating practical partnerships—and that’s what the customers want to see. So, we truly believe in the power of Rakuten Cloud software solutions. The market is ready.”

At Rakuten Symphony, we believe in flexibility, openness, and vendor-neutral technology. Our solutions are designed with that in mind, and when combined with Prodapt’s practical, agentic integration model, the results can be transformative.

The future of telecom is cloud-native, AI-driven, and zero touch. And with practical partnerships like the one between Rakuten Symphony and Prodapt, that future is already unfolding.

symphony.rakuten.com/blog/...tical-ai-for-zero-touch-networks

AI-Powered Automation: The Future of Telecoms with Prodapt & Rakuten Symphony

May 21, 2025

Discover how Prodapt and Rakuten Symphony are revolutionizing telecoms with autonomous #AI solutions. Sumit Grover (Prodapt) and Sheheryar (SK) Khakwani (Rakuten Symphony) discuss the partnership and how it's helping operators reduce costs, improve customer experience, and move away from traditional, labor-intensive system integration. Learn about agentic AI, the future of network operations, and how this collaboration delivers real, practical value.

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

AST SpaceMobile Completes Acquisition of EllioSat Ltd., Issues $26 Million in Stock to CCUR Holdings

Sep 26

AST SpaceMobile, Inc. has completed its previously announced acquisition of EllioSat Ltd. from CCUR Holdings, Inc. The company disclosed that the transaction closed on September 25, 2025, with AST SpaceMobile acquiring 100% of EllioSat's equity interests. As part of the deal, AST SpaceMobile made its first consideration payment to CCUR Holdings, Inc. by issuing 581,395 shares of its Class A common stock, valued at $26 million. The company also filed a prospectus supplement to register the offer and resale of these shares.

www.itiger.com/news/2570885662

Rakuten Bank Enters New Era With AI x Rakuten Ecosystem

September 29, 2025

As a pioneer in digital banking, Rakuten Bank has achieved remarkable growth, expanding to 17 million accounts and 12 trillion yen in deposits, boasting a market capitalization that surpasses major regional banks. Now, welcoming Tomo Torin, former Rakuten Group CCO, as its new President and CEO, Rakuten Bank has transitioned to a new management structure. RNN interviewed Tomo about the background and strategy behind the organizational reforms, such as the establishment of a new Marketing Division and the strengthening of the sales organization, amidst an intensifying competitive landscape.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bd89NDr819I

Rakuten Bank starts handling pair loan group credit

September 25, 2025

Rakuten Bank will start handling "Pair Loan Consortium Group Credit Life Insurance" for customers who use pair loans as a mortgage from today, September 25 (Thursday).

"Pair Loan Joint Life Group Credit Life Insurance" is a group credit life insurance in which if something happens to one of the policyholders during the loan repayment period after borrowing a mortgage with a pair loan, the balance of each mortgage loan will be 0 yen.

By starting to handle this product, Rakuten Bank aims to alleviate the anxiety of future repayment of customers who choose pair loans due to the rise in housing prices in recent years, the increase in the number of dual-income households, and the diversification of lifestyles.

www.rakuten-bank.co.jp/press/2025/250925.html

www.r-i.co.jp/en/news_release_cfp/2025/09/...26_24031_eng.pdf

For international businesses, Rakuten Ichiba offers a trusted platform to access Japan’s dynamic e-commerce market. Merchants can ship directly from their home countries without a local presence in Japan, while leveraging Rakuten’s dedicated support services, AI-powered tools, exclusive shopping events and Japan’s leading loyalty program, Rakuten Points. A Japanese-English bilingual team provides end-to-end support, from store opening proposals to post-launch promotions, guiding merchants on storefront performance and brand management so they can maintain control while maximizing visibility and sales.

Japanese consumers can access a wider variety of authentic international products, many rarely available domestically. By welcoming more international merchants and global brands, Rakuten Ichiba enhances choice and convenience, reinforcing consumer confidence. This trust is rooted in Rakuten Ichiba’s deep commitment to security and transparency, supported by Rakuten Anshin Shopping Service, strict anti-counterfeit measures and oversight from the Quality Improvement Committee.
Takafumi Kanatani, Vice General Manager of Rakuten Ichiba’s Overseas Sales Strategy Department, said, "Rakuten Ichiba is committed to building a borderless marketplace that benefits both merchants and consumers. Welcoming sellers from Belgium, Finland, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden and Switzerland is an important step in expanding global opportunities and bringing greater product diversity to our customers.”

Rakuten Ichiba will continue enhancing its platform and expanding its international seller program, delivering sustained value for merchants and consumers while advancing its vision for a global e-commerce ecosystem.

Notes
*1 Overseas-affiliated merchants are defined as stores operated by overseas companies or agents.
*2 Rakuten Group, Inc. Q2 FY2025 Financial Results transcript, remarks by Rakuten Group Chairman and CEO Mickey Mikitani: the number of overseas-affiliated merchants, operated by overseas companies or agents, has recently surpassed 1,000. Their GMS is growing at a double-digit rate, contributing to the expansion of Rakuten Ichiba’s overall GMS.
*3 Fuji Keizai Corporation, Actual Conditions and Future of Mail-Order and E-Commerce Businesses 2025.
*4 Domestic e-commerce GMS totaled 5.96 trillion yen in FY2024. Domestic e-commerce GMS = Rakuten Ichiba, Rakuten Travel (GTV on checkout basis), Rakuten Books, Rakuten Books Network, Rakuten Kobo (domestic), golf business, Rakuten Fashion, Rakuten Dream businesses, Rakuten Beauty, Rakuten 24 and other first-party daily necessities shops, Rakuten Car, Rakuten Rakuma, Rakuten Rebates, Rakuten Mart, Rakuten Ticket, cross-border trading, etc. Excludes some tax-exempt businesses and includes consumption tax.

global.rakuten.com/corp/news/press/2025/0930_03.html

The Global Open RAN Market is projected to grow from 8.23 USD Billion in 2024 to 100.7 USD Billion by 2035.

Key Market Trends & Highlights

Open RAN Key Trends and Highlights

The market is expected to experience a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 25.57% from 2025 to 2035.

By 2035, the market valuation is anticipated to reach 100.7 USD Billion, indicating robust growth potential.

In 2024, the market is valued at 8.23 USD Billion, laying a strong foundation for future expansion.
Growing adoption of Open RAN technology due to increasing demand for network flexibility is a major market driver.

www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/open-ran-market-11181

Notice Regarding Business Alliance Between Our Subsidiary and U-NEXT Co., Ltd.
(Progress of Disclosure Matters) Notice Regarding Business Alliance Between Our Subsidiary and U-NEXT Co., Ltd.

Rakuten Group, Inc. (Head office: Setagaya-ku, Tokyo; Chairman and CEO: Hiroshi Mikitani, hereinafter “the Company”), as announced on June 23, 2025 in “Notice Regarding the Basic Agreement on Business Alliance Between Our Subsidiary and U-NEXT Co., Ltd.”, hereby announces that Rakuten Mobile, Inc. (Head office: Setagaya-ku, Tokyo; President: Shunsuke Yazawa), a consolidated subsidiary of the Company, has entered into a business alliance with U-NEXT Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director: Tenshin Tsutsumi), and started a new package “Rakuten Saikyo U-NEXT”.

Details of this Business Alliance
We have started a new package "Rakuten Saikyo U-NEXT" that allows users to watch various contents of the distribution service "U-NEXT" with unlimited gigabytes.

Future Outlook
The impact of this business alliance on the Company's consolidated financial results for this fiscal year is currently under review, but the Company will promptly disclose any matters that should be announced in the future.

global.rakuten.com/corp/news/press/2025/1001_11.html

The solution has also earned ClassNK’s Innovation Endorsement, highlighting its compliance with global maritime cybersecurity standards and further demonstrating Rakuten Maritime’s commitment to building secure and resilient smart ships and autonomous vessels.

Rakuten Maritime is driving a paradigm shift in maritime cybersecurity, moving beyond reactive response to integrated, design-first security across the sector. Moving forward, Rakuten Maritime remains committed to enabling safer, more efficient cybersecurity environments and becoming a global leader in securing smart ships and autonomous vessels while advancing the digital future of global shipping.

About Rakuten Maritime
Launched in December 2024, Rakuten Maritime is an integrated cybersecurity solution designed specifically for smart ships and autonomous vessels, offering comprehensive protection across the entire vessel lifecycle. Beyond its robust technology, which has received innovation endorsements from leading classification organizations like ClassNK and certification from RINA, Rakuten Maritime also offers consulting services that provide tailored support to address the unique challenges of maritime clients. By leveraging its cross-functional expertise in maritime operations, cybersecurity and digital transformation, the service helps clients achieve seamless regulatory compliance and build embedded cyber resilience.

global.rakuten.com/corp/news/update/2025/1001_01.html

BlueBird 6 has completed final assembly and testing and is ready for flight!     On October 12, it will head to India aboard an Antonov large cargo plane  

We are officially kicking off our next-gen launch campaign:

BlueBird 7 is expected to ship to the Cape Canaveral launch site in October

BlueBirds 8-16 are in various stages of production, with launches planned every 1-2 months on average during 2025 and 2026

On track to complete 40 phased arrays by early 2026, bringing us to BlueBird 46

Expecting 45-60 satellites in orbit by year-end 2026

We have partnered with 50+ mobile network operators serving nearly 3 billion subscribers, supported by a flexible spectrum strategy blending our own licensed spectrum with partner spectrum.
These BlueBirds will be the largest commercial satellites ever deployed in LEO – each featuring a 2,400 sq ft phased array with true direct-to-cell broadband, capable of up to 10,000 MHz of processing bandwidth and peak speeds of 120 Mbps per cell.

x.com/AST_SpaceMobile/status/1973140310478688452

Rakuten American Express Card Expands Cash Back Benefits Everywhere

September 30,.2025

Consumers in the US can now enjoy more Cash Back in more locations than ever with the new Rakuten American Express® Card. This credit card provides an extra 4% Cash Back on Rakuten Rewards' platform, a total of 10% with Rakuten Dining partners, and additional Cash Back on other purchases like groceries. We report on the significance of the launch for Rakuten Rewards and its Card-Linked Offers business, which already benefits customers at 167,000 retail locations and 22,000 partner restaurants nationwide.

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