Rakuten wesentlich besser als Rocket
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/
https://www.facebook.com/infobip/videos/...en-viber/1746442729239450/
Taking telco AI ops to its iPhone moment
By Keith Dyer 12 June 2025
AT&T expansion is just the beginning of Rakuten Symphony's ambitions in AI operations, as it eyes a future iPhone moment for the AI user interface.
After MWC 2024, TMN wrote about how AT&T was adopting new site management software from Rakuten Symphony to digitise and automate the process of deploying, upgrading and managing sites across its network.
At the time, we quoted Igal Elbaz, SVP, Network CTO, AT&T saying that there were around 7,000 users of Rakuten Symphony’s Site Management software amongst those responsible for deploying and managing its sites, with the software replacing a large number of legacy systems. Elbaz also said there was potential for AT&T to expand its use of Rakuten Symphony’s automated solutions.
He said, “There has been a lot of benefit already in the migration from the old systems to the new system… We’re very excited about this and are thinking about where else we can extend that capability in other parts where we are doing engineering and build."
Today Rakuten Symphony and AT&T have announced an expansion of their work together, with the operator giving an wider role to Rakuten Symphony’s Site Manager within its processes for managing its Open RAN site re-build, as well as fibre site rollout. A release from the two companies said AT&T has extended a multiyear collaboration agreement to expand adoption of Rakuten Symphony Site Management to accelerate AT&T’s Network Simplification Transformation project and 5G Open RAN deployments.
https://the-mobile-network.com/2025/06/...i-ops-to-its-iphone-moment/
AT&T extended a partnership with Rakuten Symphony to spur the development of its open RAN network by simplifying operations across legacy systems to support cell site functions.
The operator is using Rakuten Site Management to streamline operations and replace the legacy systems, allowing AT&T to optimise productivity for its open RAN build.
After announcing a $14 billion open RAN deal with Ericsson in 2023, AT&T’s goal is to move 70 per cent of its 5G network traffic across open hardware by late 2026.
The plan includes scaling its open RAN environment this year.
Rakuten Site Management provides a workflow driven end-to-end process orchestrator for site planning, design, compliance and construction.
It is currently in use by more than 10,000 registered users within AT&T and its contractors.
The operator is also using Rakuten Site Management to orchestrate its fibre expansion plans.
https://www.mobileworldlive.com/rakuten/...ll%2520site%2520functions.
By Anshul Bhatt
Chief Product Officer, BU Intelligent Operations
June 12, 2025
https://symphony.rakuten.com/blog/...s-for-faster-smarter-deployments
Fri, June 13, 2025
AST SpaceMobile Inc. (ASTS) is helping shape the future of global internet connectivity through its ambitious satellite-based technology. With the potential to expand reliable internet access to remote and underserved regions, support growing government contracts, and meet the rising demands of data connectivity across industries, satellite internet is emerging as a transformative force in communications (and the stock market).
The market for satellite internet is projected to grow rapidly, with analysts estimating it could reach $24.6 billion by 2030, representing a compound annual growth rate of 30%. ASTS stock is following this trend, recording a surging 14% gain over the past week and a 47% gain year-to-date.
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/...e-stock-asts-rallies-190600745.html
06 June 2025
Cloud-based digital transformation is no longer an additional option, but has become a fundamental need. The IDC Indonesia report (2024) shows that the public cloud market in Indonesia is estimated to have the potential to reach a value of US$ 1.38 billion or Rp 22.48 trillion by 2025. This number grew with the previous year's growth (year-on-year growth) of 20.5 percent. Meanwhile, in Indonesia, cloud computing penetration is expected to grow by 75 percent. This number is driven by the increasing demand for digital transformation in the public and private sectors.
Responding to these challenges, Rakuten Symphony, together with national system integrator PT Alita Praya Mitra, presented a new approach through a seminar themed "Resilient Edge Computing for Data Sovereignty & Modern AI Workloads". The event, which took place at Park Hyatt Jakarta, on Wednesday (4/6), was attended by various stakeholders in the technology industry, such as the Director General of Digital Ecosystem of the Ministry of Communication and Digital (KOMDIGI) Edwin Hidayat Abdullah, Aju Widya Sari as the Director of Artificial Intelligence and New Technology Ecosystem of KOMDIGI, who was also the keynote speaker in this seminar, as well as more than 100 participants from the government and corporate sectors. The seminar aims to explore real use cases of edge computing and Software-Defined Storage (SDS), discuss the transition from legacy virtualization platforms to Kubernetes-native architectures, address the demands of local data regulation and national security, and foster strategic collaboration between industries. According to the Director General of Digital Ecosystem of KOMDIGI, Edwin Hidayat Abdullah, the development of the digital economy must also carry the principle of justice. "Don't let only new tech but there are no incentives for data centers or infrastructure," he said. Meanwhile, President Director of Alita and Chairman of the Indonesian Internet of Things Association (ASIOTI), Teguh Prasetya, said that Alita now continues to focus on strengthening edge platforms, IoT, and smart solutions for the government, manufacturing, and public service sectors. "We believe the partnership with Rakuten will accelerate the adoption of cloud-native and edge AI more widely," he said. He emphasized that currently Indonesia's digital transformation, edge computing technology and AI are the key in supporting data sovereignty and operational efficiency across sectors. He emphasized that with the presence of global investors and local initiatives for AI, we are at an important moment to strengthen the development of the national digital ecosystem. On the same occasion, Global Head of Sales, Rakuten Symphony Inc, Udai Kanukolanu explained, by combining Alita's local expertise and infrastructure and cloud as global innovations from Rakuten Symphony, OSS, and open RAN, Rakuten seeks to accelerate the adoption of digital services in the future nationwide. "This initiative is in line with Indonesia's vision of empowering digitalization in the future, encouraging economic growth and technological advancement," he said. He highlighted Rakuten's global success in delivering an AI-ready platform that is proven to be efficient and compliant with local regulations. "We have supported more than 40,000 global retail locations, critical healthcare, and 5G open RAN network orchestrations in various countries. Now is the time for Indonesia to take a similar leap," he explained. Rakuten Cloud SVP Anirban Chakravartti explained that edge computing and AI are no longer a trend, but an urgent need in the era of data speed and regulatory demands. He explained that Rakuten designed a cloud-native infrastructure capable of running AI workloads at the edge, with automated orchestration and layered security. Various scenarios for the use of edge computing are now starting to be found in various retailers. For example, supply chain optimization in the retail industry, automation and the use of robot technology in the manufacturing sector, to disease diagnosis in the health sector. He revealed that 83 percent of organizations or companies are currently planning to run AI/ML in physical locations, to improve their business and business operations. SquirtIt does not make their operations more operationally efficient. In the midst of continuous technological developments, data sovereignty is now one of the factors that is a concern. Data sovereignty is important because it concerns national control, information security, digital economy independence, and the realization of justice for access to technology. Meanwhile, the Chairman of the Artificial Intelligence Industry Research and Innovation Collaboration (KORIKA), Prof. Dr. Hammam Riza emphasized the urgency of building infrastructure that supports data sovereignty and inclusive digital transformation. "With an edge-native cloud developed locally, we can ensure that AI and digital data serve the nation's interests, not just become consumers of foreign solutions," he said.
https://www.indotelko.com/read/1749124476/...ormasi-digital-indonesia
By Mouzam Nasiri, Ecosystem Leadership Rakuten Symphony
June 10, 2025
Joining Rakuten Symphony has been a thrilling leap into a mission that truly excites me — leading our ecosystem strategy to connect Rakuten’s 70+ products with telecom operators across the globe, co-creating value, and shaping what’s next.
In 1997, Rakuten launched with a bold idea: that technology, when designed with purpose, can empower people and redefine industries.
It started with Ichiba, a pioneering online marketplace. Today, it has evolved into a global ecosystem of 70+ products and services spanning e-commerce, fintech, communications, content, and more.
What’s remained constant? A customer-first, human-first philosophy that puts real people — not just products — at the center of every experience.
The ecosystem mindset: from telcos to transformation
At Rakuten Symphony, our focus isn’t just on showcasing what we’ve built — it’s on working with telecom operators to reimagine what’s possible together.
We’re not in a race to productize. We’ve already arrived at the destination.
The focus now is on activating value through strategic partnerships, unified experiences, and solutions designed to scale.
This is not a pitch deck. It’s a playbook, refined through years of operational discipline we call Shikumika — Rakuten’s unique approach to scaling innovation with repeatability and speed.
What we’re delivering together
This model isn’t aspirational — it’s already in motion. And it's helping operators:
· Expand their offerings from connectivity to digital lifestyle services.
· Co-create value across commerce, finance, content, and identity.
· Deliver unified, scalable experiences rooted in real human behavior.
· Move beyond vendor relationships toward true strategic alignment.
· Bridge global capabilities with local relevance.
We’re helping turn networks into ecosystems and services into shared growth platforms.
https://symphony.rakuten.com/blog/...s-powering-the-future-of-telecom
On the same occasion, Rakuten Cloud's SVP, Anirban Chakravartti, explained that edge computing and AI are no longer just trends, but urgent needs in the era of data speed and regulatory demands.
He said that Rakuten designed a cloud-native infrastructure capable of running AI workloads at the edge, with automated orchestration and layered security.
Various implementations of edge computing are now starting to be seen in various sectors, such as supply chain optimization in the retail industry, automation and the use of robots in the manufacturing sector, to disease diagnosis in the health sector.
Anirban said that 83 percent of organizations or companies currently plan to implement AI/ML in physical locations to improve business and operational efficiency.
https://www.liputan6.com/tekno/read/6045391/...nesia-pada-2025?page=4
Jun 13, 2025
AI-powered solution transforms and accelerates network rollouts, redefines legacy processes, and delivers predictability, automation, and efficiency in site lifecycle management.
Deployed and trusted by mobile network operators globally, including a new multi-year Open RAN deployment with one of the world's leading operators.
TOKYO – Rakuten Symphony today announced the Rakuten Site Management platform now integrates Artificial Intelligence (AI) to deliver comprehensive visibility, predictive insights and advanced automation for complex mobile network deployments and lifecycle management. With over 3.5 million sites registered globally, Rakuten Site Management has been proven to improve site build efficiency by 60% and increase deployment accuracy to 99%, delivering measurable business outcomes for operators worldwide.
https://www.telecomtv.com/content/...ifies-network-deployments-53220/
The surging need for unlicensed spectrum-based LTE networks to support enterprise-grade connectivity is propelling MulteFire market growth.
Austin, June 11, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- According to the SNS Insider report, the MulteFire Market size was valued at USD 1.6 billion in 2023 and is projected to reach USD 19.6 billion by 2032, expanding at a robust CAGR of 31.69% from 2024 to 2032.
In the U.S., the MulteFire market was valued at approximately USD 9.85 billion in 2023 and is projected to reach around USD 61.4 billion by 2032, growing at a CAGR of 22.1% during 2024–2032. Growth is driven by strong demand for private LTE in smart manufacturing, logistics, and enterprise IT networks. Government-backed spectrum liberalization and early 5G deployment further accelerate MulteFire adoption nationwide.
Key Players:
•§Nokia Corporation
•§Qualcomm Incorporated
•§Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd.
• Ericsson §
•§Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
•§Intel Corporation Altiostar (a Rakuten Symphony company)
•§Cisco Systems, Inc.
•§CommScope Inc.
•§Sercomm Corporation
•§Airspan Networks Inc.
•§ZTE Corporation
•§ip.access Ltd. (Mavenir)
•§NEC Corporation
•§Casa Systems Inc.
https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2025/...y-SNS-Insider.html
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USD & JPY FX markets are hot now!
The spreads of 5 selected currency pairs in Rakuten FX are being tightened from 16th June, 2025 (Market Open) to 11th July, 2025 (Market Close). During this period, you can trade as many as you want with tight spreads, regardless of the transaction size.
All Rakuten FX customers can enjoy this special offer without any conditions, don’t miss out!
https://www.sec.rakuten.com.hk/en/promotion/flash-deal
2025.06.16
AT&T und Rakuten Symphony haben eine mehrjährige Partnerschaftsvereinbarung verlängert, um AT&T, einen US-amerikanischen Telekommunikationsanbieter, bei der Einführung von Open RAN zu unterstützen.
Im Februar 2022 unterzeichneten die beiden Unternehmen ihre erste Vereinbarung.
Mit dem Site Management von Rakuten kann AT&T Legacy-Anwendungen und -Software konsolidieren und außer Betrieb nehmen und so die Produktivität von Mitarbeitern und Auftragnehmern optimieren, die die Open-RAN-Bereitstellung und den Bau von Standorten überwachen.
Rakuten Site Management bietet einen End-to-End-Prozessorchestrator für die Planung, das Design, die Compliance und das Baumanagement von Mobilfunkstandorten.
Rakuten sagt, dass der Austausch von Legacy-Tools "in einem noch nie dagewesenen Tempo erfolgreich abgeschlossen wurde, etwa 18 Monate nach dem ersten Pilotprojekt, ohne den Betrieb zu unterbrechen".
Alisha Remek, Vice President of Access Construction and Engineering bei AT&T, sagte: "Die Expertise von Rakuten Symphony in Bezug auf Workflow-Orchestrierung und Kreativität, um Lösungen für komplexe Probleme und Funktionen zu finden, haben uns zum Erfolg verholfen."
Das Unternehmen geht davon aus, dass bis Ende 2026 70 % des Mobilfunkverkehrs über die Open-RAN-Plattform fließen werden.
https://cafe-dc.com/network/...uten-symphony-sign-open-ran-extension/
Bola Sol, from Rakuten, said: “With skincare and make-up routines and trends taking over social media, it’s no surprise that younger children are asking for more luxurious beauty products.
“All parents want to make their kids happy, but it’s also important to balance that with your budget. A great way to do this is by tracking products for when they go on sale, and where possible, bag even more savings by using a cashback provider such as Rakuten to make the purchase through.”
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/...ents-bought-children-014527061.html
June 12, 2025
Japan Credit Rating Agency, Ltd. (JCR) announces the following credit rating.
Bonds: A-
Rationale
Rakuten Card Co., Ltd. (the “Company”) is a credit card company in the Rakuten Group (the “Group”).
Rakuten Group, Inc. (“Rakuten”) holds approximately 85% voting rights and dispatches multiple directors to the Company. Given also strong unity in management decision-making and business administration, the degree of Rakuten’s involvement in the Company is high. Moreover, playing such roles as providing settlement and financial functions and retaining customers through a point-rewarding program as a core of the Group’s FinTech businesses, the Company is managerially important to the Group. Based on the above, JCR deems the Company’s long-term issuer rating to be commensurate with the Group’s creditworthiness, which is equivalent to the rating of A-. Bonds to be issued are senior notes, and JCR determined the rating to be at the same level as the long-term issuer rating.
Hidekazu Sakai, Naoki Shimura
Issue Amount (bn) Issue Date Due Date Coupon Rating
Bonds no. 10 JPY 80 June 27, 2025 June 26, 2026 1.680% A-
Bonds no. 11 JPY 22 June 18, 2025 June 18, 2026 1.680% A-
Bonds no. 12 JPY 5 June 18, 2025 June 16, 2028 2.422% A-
Bonds no. 13 JPY 3 June 18, 2025 June 18, 2030 3.214% A-
Long-term Issuer Rating: A- Outlook: Negative
https://jcr.co.jp/download/...763b7246b3f23cffe231266ce/25d0324_f.pdf
Jun 15
https://www.moomoo.com/news/post/54266617/..._ticket=1750106737848413
2025/5/30
We are pleased to announce the opening of the Kikuimodo Rakuten Market Store and the start of online sales of our own brand food products.
Currently, we only carry the Kinko Tea series from our Kagoshima office.
We will also be stocking original Kikuimodo products made with Jerusalem artichokes from Kumamoto Prefecture.
https://www.koyo-orient.co.jp/en/kikuimodo-rakuten/
https://www.rakuten.co.jp/kikuimodo/
June 16, 2025
On May 26th, Rakuten immediately responded to the Japan's Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries' call for reserve rice vendors. "Where will it be milled?" "There are no bags to package the rice!" "Is the sales page ready?" "Are logistics okay?" As challenges piled up one after another, RNN was behind-the-scenes to cover the story of "Rakuten Lifestyle Support Rice", a product which came to life in just four days. E-Commerce Consultants relayed materials from Osaka to milling facilities in Chiba, project team members visited milling facilities and reserve rice warehouses to confirm details on-site, and logistics teams delivered the precious rice quickly and carefully. Thanks to the cooperation of materials and milling vendors nationwide as well as everyone involved in logistics, Rakuten's rice project, a catalyst for change in the world, continues.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Iz4I-gssOs
https://business.rakuten.com/case-study/...fective-performance-lever/
Released 14:58:04 12 June 2025
THE COMPANY ANNOUNCES THE TEN LARGEST INVESTMENTS IN % OF TOTAL ASSETS As at: 30 May 2025
Sony 6.6%§
IHI Corp 4.7%
Asics Corp 4.6%
Nintendo Ltd 4.5%
Keyence Corp 3.9%
Rakuten Bank Ltd 3.8%
Mitsubishi Ufj Financial Group Inc 3.7%
Itochu Corp 3.6%
Tokio Marine Holdings Inc 3.5%
Hitachi Ltd 3.4%
Total 42.4%
§
https://www.londonstockexchange.com/news-article/...estments/17083798
Rakuten is more than an online shopping site. It’s a full-on lifestyle.
Here’s how a Rakuten Grandma earns:
•§Shopping on Rakuten Ichiba
•§Paying bills with a Rakuten Card
•§Using Rakuten Mobile
•§Reading on Rakuten Kobo
•§Booking hotels via Rakuten Travel
•§Investing via Rakuten Securities
•§Even donating via Furusato Nozei
Each service adds to your SPU (Super Point Up) rate, meaning you earn more with every purchase. Many users hit 10–15% point back during big sales.
https://gaijininvestors.wordpress.com/2025/06/14/...pan-%f0%9f%92%b4/
The FinTech segment achieved both revenue and profit growth for the quarter, bringing in 223.6 billion yen in revenue, an increase of 15.6% YoY, and Non-GAAP operating income of 43.9 billion yen, up 21.7% YoY.
https://rakuten.today/blog/...akuten-q1-fy2025-financial-results.html
That are about 175 billion yen on a yearly base = $1.21 billion.
And that is by a P/E of only 15 a valuation of $ 18 billlion alone.
Current: $0.04§
1 month ago: $-0.05
3 months ago: $-0.05
Q3 2025 Estimate Trends
Current: $0.06§
1 month ago: $-0.03
3 months ago: $-0.03
https://www.wsj.com/market-data/quotes/JP/...5a696568302803fb5bbb64ec