Rakuten wesentlich besser als Rocket

Völlig überzogen ist auch die Diskussion über die Verschuldung. Offensichtlich wird hier der Finanzbereich mit dem Nicht-Finanzbereich vermischt, ein Problem das bei dieser Mischung schon öfter aufgetreten ist und von Shortsellern und an niedriger Kursen interessierten (Konkurrenz) benutzt wird.

Finanzbereich arbeiten nun einmal nur mit ca. 5% Eigenkapital - und das ist seit Jahrhunderten völlig normal.

Insofern muss man den Fintechbereich strikt vom Nicht-Fintechbereich bei einer Analyse der Verschuldung trennen. Und der Nicht-Fintechbereich der Rakuten Group weist ganze 8 Milliarden Schulden auf, gerade einmal das Vierfache des 2027 absehbaren EBITDA's.

In its home market of Japan (Tokyo Stock Exchange, TYO: 4755), short selling against Rakuten Group has reached a noticeable, yet—in the broader context—moderate level.

As of November 2026, the proportion of shares sold short relative to the free float is estimated to be between 1.2% and 1.7%.

This calculation is based on the following current market data:
• Short Interest: According to aggregated exchange and Fintel data, the number of outstanding short positions in the home market remains stable, ranging between 18 million and 20 million shares.
• Free Float: Depending on the specific methodology used (e.g., the definitions applied by Yahoo Finance or Moomoo), the number of freely tradable Rakuten shares is estimated at 1.10 billion to 1.45 billion. The total number of shares outstanding is approximately 2.18 billion.

wie rechnest du auf KZ 15-20 Euro 2027 ...
Das ist sportlich ....6-10 Euro sehe ich auch ....

Walking Together with a Rakuten Ichiba E-Commerce Consultant

November 2, 2026

global.rakuten.com/corp/innovation/rnn/2026/2511_006/

• Earnings per share (EPS): Based on this, earnings per share (EPS) are expected to be approximately 640 yen (after deducting the profit shares attributable to minority shareholders in Rakuten Securities).
• Key premise: This absolute profit target of ¥400 billion has been calculated conservatively by management and does not yet account for potential further interest rate hikes by the Bank of Japan (BOJ).

• Earnings components and milestones (2027–2030)

Metric / Area     Status Quo Baseline (2026)      Expectation Horizon (2027–2030)

Quarterly Revenue (FinTech): Most recently ¥295.4 billion per quarter. Annual revenue for the FinTech division is expected to stabilize in the range of ¥1.3 to ¥1.5 trillion.

Quarterly Profit (FinTech). Most recently ¥69.2 billion (non-GAAP). Serves as a launchpad for scaling toward the ¥400 billion annual target by 2030.

Synergy Gains. Expected to begin during the integration phase starting in 2027. ¥85.0 billion in purely incremental cross-selling and operational cost synergies by 2030.

Growth drivers for the absolute figures:
1. Rakuten Bank’s net interest margin: The bank is benefiting significantly from the shift in interest rate policy in Japan. As Rakuten Bank’s deposit base (most recently exceeding ¥13.3 trillion) continues to grow robustly, every 0.1% increase in interest rates generates directly scalable interest income.
2. Scaling of Rakuten Card & Securities: Rakuten Card continues to see steady growth in Gross Transaction Volume (GTV), while the brokerage arm (Rakuten Securities) is monetizing millions of new accounts driven by the government-sponsored NISA tax-advantaged investment program.


Below is a mathematical simulation based on Rakuten Bank’s current balance sheet data, illustrating how an additional 0.5% (50 basis point) interest rate hike by the Bank of Japan (BOJ) could boost profits beyond the base target of 400 billion yen.

Simulation variables:
• Current deposit balance: As of September 2026, Rakuten Bank’s deposits stand at ¥13.63 trillion. By 2029, this is conservatively projected to grow to ¥15.0 trillion. [1]
• Interest Rate Sensitivity (Beta): Since the majority of assets are linked to short-term interest rates via variable-rate structures (e.g., interest on central bank deposits, short-term government debt), interest rate hikes are almost fully reflected in earnings. We assume a conservative deposit beta of 40% (meaning the bank passes on 40% of any interest rate increase to savers, while retaining 60% as a net interest margin).
• Consequently, a 0.5% rate hike generates approximately 45 billion yen in additional annual earnings through net interest income alone.

Simulation Conclusion

If the Bank of Japan (BOJ) raises interest rates by 0.5% by 2029, the projected profit is expected to rise from the targeted ¥400 billion to ¥445 billion. As digital banks incur virtually no additional fixed operating expenses (OpEx) to manage this capital, this interest margin flows almost entirely into pre-tax profit (ordinary profit). Given a sustained shift toward higher interest rates in Japan, the management target of ¥400 billion thus proves to be an extremely conservative lower bound. Medium-Term Forecasts & Milestones (2028 to 2030):

Rakuten Viki launches “Viki Pass It On" campaign with LE SSERAFIM

October 14, 2026

Rakuten Viki, the leading destination for Asian entertainment, has launched “Viki Pass It On,” a new brand campaign starring global K-pop group LE SSERAFIM. The campaign celebrates the fans powering the global popularity of Asian entertainment and includes a video spot running on CTV as well as major social and digital channels. LE SSERAFIM has also curated a watch list of the group members’ favorite Asian series for Viki subscribers.

About the campaign
Created in partnership with creative agency UNFOLD, “Viki Pass It On” launches today in the U.S. and other key global markets. Watch the spot here.

As LE SSERAFIM prepares to take the stage, the group passes around a mobile device, with each member spotlighting a favorite Viki show that reflects her personality, from addictive K-dramas and swoon-worthy C-dramas to variety shows. Each handoff captures how fan culture spreads: the thrill of discovering something you love and sharing it with your friends.

“Asian entertainment, from K-pop to Korean and Chinese dramas, has found a passionate global audience because of the extraordinary talent behind it, the compelling stories, and the fans who share it with each other,” said Karen Paek, vice president of Marketing at Viki. “This campaign is a tribute to those fans, and we’re proud to celebrate them alongside LE SSERAFIM.”

www.rakuteninternational.com/news/...ampaign-with-le-sserafim

As of November 2026, Rakuten Viber operates as a major global messaging and digital commerce ecosystem, transitioning heavily into a "super-app".

The latest user and subscriber data indicates the following key statistics:

Core User Base & Growth
• Global Active Users: Viber commands a foundation of 820 million monthly active users globally. Over 1.3 billion unique user IDs are registered across its lifecycle, connecting over a billion people worldwide.
• Growth Vector: The platform continues to experience stable, double-digit year-over-year growth in active users globally.

Paid Subscription & "Viber Plus" Milestones
• Premium Subscribers: Viber's paid subscription service, Viber Plus (which offers ad-free use, exclusive badges, and large file sharing), has seen explosive growth.
• Top Subscription Market: The Philippines has officially emerged as Viber's largest market worldwide for paid premium subscriptions, recording a 34.3% surge in paying subscribers and an accompanying 75.5% leap in subscription-based revenue.

Top Markets by User Share
According to geographical traffic and market distribution data:
1. Ukraine: 18.43% of total users (where it remains a highly dominant standard for communication)
2. Russia: 13.27%
3. Philippines: 11.16%
4. Bulgaria: 6.09%
5. United States: 4.91%

Evolving Ecosystem: Super-App Features
The platform has achieved major traction beyond text messaging through targeted ecosystem verticals:
Viber Dating: Initially launched in early 2025, the dating feature has grown into a major success, with monthly active users jumping by 44% globally and a massive 96.9% year-over-year expansion in high-engagement regions like Southeast Asia.
Business & Commerce Accounts: Verified business accounts are expanding rapidly (up over 20% year-over-year), integrating AI-driven customer tools and "Chat Summaries" to drive conversational commerce.

AT&T and AST SpaceMobile: Engineering the Connected World, One Handoff at a Time

AT&T and AST SpaceMobile, have achieved what we believe is the industry's first successful handoff between a ground-based cellular network and a direct-to-device satellite network.The achievement advances plans to complement AT&T's existing wireless network with satellite connectivity in remote and hard-to-reach locations using everyday smartphones. Milestone brings AT&T and AST SpaceMobile one step closer to commercial service keeping customers connected anywhere they work, live, and travel.

The milestone occurred Wednesday, October 21, 2026, outside Granite Falls, Washington, at 8:15 a.m. PT. It builds on previous voice calls, text messages and video calls through AST SpaceMobile's BlueBird satellites using everyday smartphones.

This time, the companies tackled a different challenge: moving a connection between AT&T's ground-based wireless network and AST SpaceMobile's satellite network seamlessly. That's why collaboration matters:

finance.yahoo.com/technology/articles/...ected-170000260.html

Hyunjung Lee, chief creative officer at Imaginus, said, “At their core, our team of artists always wants to tell the most compelling stories. We worked hard to make The Painted Soul an intriguing watch for viewers, and with the use of exciting new technologies, we were able to enhance our storytelling in meaningful ways. We are looking forward to the debut of The Painted Soul on the Viki platform.”

About Imaginus
Imaginus was established in December 2021 by Jinnie Choi, the former CEO of Studio Dragon, a subsidiary of CJ ENM. The company previously worked on series including Cinderella at 2AM, which is also available on Viki.

Viki is available to watch for free with advertisements, or without advertisements through the Viki Pass Standard and Viki Pass Plus tiered subscriptions. It is available on web and on several platforms via desktop, mobile, streaming devices, and connected TVs.

rakuteninternational.com/news/...i%2520on%2520October%252021.

Internet Services Also Strong—Not Just Rakuten Bank

The group’s overarching goal for the end of this decade (2030) is extremely ambitious: 1 trillion yen (approx. 6.2 billion euros) in consolidated operating income.

With the mobile division (Rakuten Mobile) projected to reach its break-even point by 2027/2028—following years of massive investment—it is expected that, from that point forward, earnings from the Internet Services segment will flow directly to shareholders as net profit, rather than being used to cover losses.

Strategic Growth Drivers for Internet Services (2027–2030)
The earnings structure of Rakuten’s Internet Services (e-commerce, travel, and advertising) is built on three core pillars, designed to drive record profits by 2030:

1. The “Triple 20” Initiative (AI Revolution): Starting in late 2026, Rakuten will roll out AI solutions across its platforms—such as the “AI Shop Manager” (for merchants on Rakuten Ichiba) and global “Super Agents.” The objective is to drastically reduce operational costs in marketing and customer service by 2028/2030, which is expected to significantly boost the operating margin of the Internet Services segment.

2. The Ecosystem Multiplier: Data from 2026 indicates that customers who utilize three segments (e.g., a Rakuten mobile plan, a Rakuten credit card, and shopping on Rakuten Ichiba) generate 13.5 times more revenue for the group compared to users of only a single service. The goal is to maximize this level of user penetration by 2030.

3. Expansion of the advertising business: The advertising business within the Internet segment is growing at a double-digit percentage rate and leverages AI-driven automated optimizations across its marketplaces; it is projected to become one of the company’s most profitable revenue streams by 2030.

Analyst Consensus and Revenue Trends
Analyst estimates (e.g., via S&P data) forecast that the group will reach a total revenue of nearly 3 trillion yen (approx. €18.5 billion) by 2027. Internet Services will continue to be the largest pillar in terms of volume, while the FinTech division (Rakuten Bank & Card) will provide the most stable margins.

• Allocation & Purpose: The majority of this amount (360 billion yen from "Series 26") was specifically marketed to individual retail investors. Of this amount, approximately 265.6 billion yen is being used directly to repay the group’s US-dollar-denominated debt, which matures in February 2027. The remaining 40 billion yen (Series 27) was placed with institutional investors and covers the costs associated with the fintech restructuring.
• Terms: The bonds have a 5.5-year maturity and carry an annual coupon of 4.37%.

Strategic relief through fintech restructuring
Although this concerns the fintech division, the reorganization—completed on October 2, 2026—has had a significant positive impact on the group’s non-fintech debt:
• Internal credit channels: By consolidating Rakuten Card and Rakuten Securities under the publicly traded Rakuten Bank, the group is able to replace costly external borrowing with more affordable internal refinancing (leveraging the bank’s customer deposits).
• Self-funding for the mobile network: The non-fintech division is now generating sufficient operating cash flow once again (exceeding $2 billion over the past 12 months), allowing the group to fund substantial capital expenditures (Capex) for its proprietary mobile network independently, without the need for significant new debt issuance.

Will Rakuten's Corporate Card Turn Merchants from 'Sellers' into 'Buyers'? — Reading Rakuten Business Card Platinum from the Perspective of EC Management

Oct 21, 2026

One was the reorganization in which Rakuten Card and Rakuten Securities Holdings were placed under Rakuten Bank. The other was that Rakuten Card began accepting applications for and issuing the corporate credit card 'Rakuten Business Card Platinum'.

In the news, 'no annual fee,' '1% rewards,' and 'maximum credit limit of 1 billion yen' made the headlines. However, from the perspective of managing an EC business, another point is interesting to me.

This card might change Rakuten Ichiba merchants from 'companies that sell on Rakuten' to 'companies that buy on Rakuten and borrow money from Rakuten'.

The new card is primarily aimed at the approximately 900,000 companies that already have business dealings with the Rakuten Group. Reports mention Rakuten Ichiba merchants, hotels and inns listed on Rakuten Travel, beauty salons listed on Rakuten Beauty, and shops where Rakuten Points can be used.

It is reported that Mr. Mikitani spoke of 'enormous potential' regarding these 900,000 companies and expressed his desire to make this card 'one of the largest credit cards in Japan, even for corporate use'.

note.com/kenny_marusaki/n/n4ffe2843f659?hl=en

Every one of AST SpaceMobile's partners likely views SpaceX as a key competitor. In fact, SpaceX has increasingly been looking at wireless spectrum, which almost certainly means it is planning to compete head-to-head with AST SpaceMobile's partners. The best way to fight back is to start competing with SpaceX more directly, which partnering with AST SpaceMobile allows.

That helps support AST SpaceMobile's long-term investment thesis. Given the competition that the company's partners are seeing from SpaceX, they aren't likely to cut and run. It is far more likely that they will become increasingly inclined to support AST SpaceMobile's business growth. That may come as financial support, or simply as patience, given the uncertainty of launching satellites.

Rakuten Securities has been officially confirmed as one of the distribution partners for the monumental U.S. initial public offering (IPO) of Anthropic. The developer of the AI ​​assistant Claude is aiming for an initial listing on the U.S. technology exchange Nasdaq under the ticker symbol ANT.

Key details regarding the Anthropic IPO:

• Targeted placement in Japan: According to official filings, Anthropic plans to raise up to 552.9 billion yen (approximately 3.5 billion U.S. dollars) directly from Japanese investors. This represents the largest capital raise ever planned by a foreign company via the Japanese market.

• Access for retail investors: In addition to major underwriting banks such as Mizuho Securities and Goldman Sachs, distribution in Japan will be handled largely through leading online brokers for retail investors—including Rakuten Securities and SBI Securities.

• November 4: Rakuten Securities to handle bookbuilding for Anthropic, which is scheduled to list on the U.S. market!

• Rakuten Securities has been officially confirmed as one of the distribution partners for the monumental U.S. initial public offering (IPO) of Anthropic. The developer of the AI ​​assistant Claude is aiming for an initial listing on the U.S. technology exchange Nasdaq under the ticker symbol ANT.

Key details regarding the Anthropic IPO:

• Targeted placement in Japan: According to official filings, Anthropic plans to raise up to 552.9 billion yen (approximately 3.5 billion U.S. dollars) directly from Japanese investors. This represents the largest capital raise ever planned by a foreign company via the Japanese market.

• Historic scale: Analysts expect a total global offering volume exceeding 100 billion U.S. dollars. The initial public offering (IPO) could thus match or even surpass the previous record set by SpaceX in June 2026.

• As Anthropic is opening a direct tranche for international markets—including Japan, Australia, Canada, and parts of the European Economic Area—foreign brokers are working closely with the underwriting banks. In Japan, eligible clients of Rakuten Securities can submit subscription requests via the traditional bookbuilding process, even before the stock begins regular trading.

Fee Structure: Commission-free for domestic stocks (“Zero Share”) Commission-free for domestic stocks (“Zero Fee”)

Ecosystem Advantage: Rakuten Points / Integration with Rakuten Bank    Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group (SMBC) alliance / V-Points
Strengths. Particularly popular among younger investors and beginners. Strong institutional business

Strategic Implications & Outlook

Reaching 15 million accounts highlights a shift in Japan’s investment culture—moving away from simply holding savings in bank accounts (historically the preferred method in Japan) toward active wealth accumulation in the stock market.

For Rakuten, this large number of accounts—while resulting in lower margins per trade (due to the absence of commissions)—offers significant cross-selling potential. The objective is to funnel these millions of new customers into other profitable business segments, such as Rakuten Bank, Rakuten Card, or insurance services.

The circular ecosystem of the Rakuten corporate credit card transforms merchants on the platform into active buyers.

Through strategic incentives, Rakuten directs business spending back into its own marketplace.
How merchants become buyers:

• High cashback multipliers: When merchants use their corporate credit card for purchases on Rakuten Ichiba, they earn significantly more points (e.g., up to 3x Rakuten Points).

• Relevant B2B procurement: Merchants on the platform use these cards to source operational necessities—such as packaging materials, office supplies, and IT equipment—directly via Rakuten Ichiba.

• Increasing Gross Merchandise Volume (GMV): This model ensures that merchants' B2B expenditures remain within the Rakuten ecosystem, directly fueling further growth on the platform.

The financial flywheel effect

At its core, Rakuten’s fintech segment (which includes Rakuten Card and Rakuten Bank) leverages the company’s proprietary currency, "Rakuten Points," to foster merchant loyalty.

Combined with strategic initiatives—such as the Rakuten Business Card Platinum and partnerships with major financial institutions like Mizuho Bank—small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are granted exceptionally high credit limits. This encourages merchants to shift their entire B2B procurement budgets to the marketplace. Consequently, Rakuten benefits twice: first, through the fees charged to merchants as sellers, and second, through the revenue generated by those same merchants in their capacity as buyers.

Full-Funnel CTV in Action: Driving High Brand Impact for IKEA

For the launch of communications centred on IKEA’s “Signature” theme, Wavemaker’s multiscreen team in France partnered with Rakuten TV Enterprise to deliver a coordinated CTV campaign. The objective was to reach exclusive audiences within the Rakuten TV Enterprise ecosystem and maximise the impact of the campaign on the TV screen.

“The activation highlights the value of com bining multiple CTV touchpoints to reach audiences who are increasingly difficult to engage through linear TV alone. The ability to connect these moments within a single campaign delivered both reach and impact.” Chloé Rouanne, Video Planner Lead at WPP Media

www.enterprise.rakuten.tv/wp-content/...6/IKEA-Case-Study.pdf

Up the Revolution!

November 03, 2026

Talking Transformation: The Appledore Research Podcast

In this episode, we're joined by Geoff Hollingworth, CMO at Rakuten Symphony, to talk about revolution in the telecom industry, past and present. Is the recent history of telecom being rewritten? What do people in a cloud-native telco do all day? Are mobile generations "the worst thing that's ever happened to the industry"? Why does telecom find it so hard to ask simple questions? Buckle up!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I8SMoaEzeA0&t=30s

Norauto: Turning Football Context into CTV Impact

For its FIFA World Cup campaign in Spain, Norauto and Infinity Media partnered with Rakuten TV Enterprise to build awareness among adult audiences through a CTV strategy designed around football. Combining broad platform visibility, football-led creative and targeted advertising within sports content, the campaign used different CTV touchpoints to move from mass awareness to increasingly relevant audience engagement.

Working with Rakuten TV Enterprise gave us the flexibility to build a connected CTV strategy around Norauto’s objectives, using different formats to play distinct roles throughout the campaign. From broad visibility to football-led context and more targeted audience engagement, we were able to bring each element together within one cohesive activation.” Karen De Sousa Omnichannel Strategist

www.enterprise.rakuten.tv/wp-content/...o-Case-Study_EN-1.pdf

The Center of Gravity Balance of 'Massive Mobile Investment' Supported by EC Ancestry and Financial M&A

note.com/deep_walrus6574/n/nfa5c812fbba5?hl=en

An analysis of the Rakuten Group’s An analysis of the Rakuten Group’s capital structure topology reveals a dynamic equilibrium in which a robust, cash-generating ecosystem supports massive upfront investments in other growth areas.

Deconstructing this structural setup, the Rakuten Group can be divided into three core functional layers:

1. The Direct/Ancestral Segment (The Origin)
• Core areas: Primarily the traditional e-commerce business centered around Rakuten Ichiba and Rakuten Travel.
• Significance: This domain forms the group’s historical foundation. It acts as a stable anchor for customer loyalty and generates continuous revenue through the integrated Rakuten ecosystem (via its loyalty point program).

2. The FinTech Division (The Cash Engine)
• Core areas: Rakuten Bank, Rakuten Card, and Rakuten Securities.
• Capital structure: Strategic partial IPOs (such as that of Rakuten Bank) allow Rakuten Group, Inc. to raise fresh capital from the market while retaining a controlling majority and preserving valuable synergies within the ecosystem.
• Significance: FinTech serves as the highly efficient, highly profitable heart of the group; its liquidity and operating profits provide the financial pillars that support the entire conglomerate.

3. The Telecommunications Infrastructure (The Investment Segment)
• Core areas: Rakuten Mobile and the global network segment (Rakuten Symphony).
• Capital structure: This segment encompasses the group’s large-scale, capital-intensive investments.

Financed by earnings from the FinTech and e-commerce pillars—as well as through targeted debt financing—it represents a strategic, future-oriented project aimed at securing a position in the next generation of digital infrastructure. in which a robust, cash-generating ecosystem supports massive upfront investments in other growth areas.

Boost Mobile and Rakuten Symphony have partnered since 2021 to address the fragmentation found in traditional telecommunications networks. While traditional networks typically rely on observability software from multiple vendors, Rakuten Symphony provides a centralized aggregation capability that focuses on reducing network complexity.

“Boost Mobile is demonstrating how operators can leverage advanced automation to thrive in the 5G era,” said Vivek Murthy, President of the OSS Business Unit at Rakuten Symphony. “Our Configuration Manager provides a powerful foundation for autonomous operations and data-driven decision-making, enabling Boost Mobile to optimize network performance and accelerate innovation.”

Rakuten Symphony’s Configuration Manager automates the full lifecycle of network configuration across complex multi-vendor and multi-technology environments. By using intent-based networking, the solution eliminates configuration drift, mitigates human error, and ensures strict compliance. The software functions much like an advanced autopilot system for the network; it allows engineers to maintain full operational control and crucial oversight while the system automatically standardizes these complex configuration processes.

symphony.rakuten.com/newsroom/...es-5g-operational-efficiency

Thermal Management: In September 2026, ASTS received an important US patent for heat management within the huge antenna arrays. Special heat pipes and surfaces protect the sensitive electronics from the extreme temperature changes in low Earth orbit (LEO), ensuring the longevity and efficiency of the massive satellites.

AST SpaceMobile's (ASTS) patent pipeline forms the fundamental technological foundation for the company's economic moat and is one of the key levers for its long-term stock valuation. Since the company is building a global mobile network directly from space to standard smartphones (Direct-to-Device), these patents protect the technology from competitors and potentially give ASTS a monopoly-like position.

From Title Distribution to FAST: How ACE Entertainment Expanded its Content Strategy with Rakuten TV Enterprise

Having partnered with Rakuten TV Enterprise to distribute its extensive film catalogue across French-speaking markets in Europe for the past 3 years, ACE Entertainment recognised the need to evolve its content distribution strategy in line with changing viewer behaviour. New opportunities emerged to expand its distribution strategy, in crease the visibility of its content, and introduce ad ditional monetisation opportunities through FAST.

About ACE Entertainment
ACE Entertainment is an independent content distributor with an extensive catalogue of premium film and television content spanning action, thriller, drama, documentaries, and family entertainment. The company specialises in bringing high-quality content to French-speaking audiences across Europe while continually expanding the reach and value of its catalogue.

“ Working with Rakuten TV Enterprise has enabled us to expand into FAST, launch new channels and reach French-speaking audiences across Europe, while creating new opportunities to monetise our content.” Jérome Reygner-Kalfon Managing Partner, ACE Entertainment

www.enterprise.rakuten.tv/wp-content/...inment-Case-Study.pdf