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/
In 2024, there were significant milestones achieved by Rakuten Group. Rakuten Mobile achieved the basis. Rakuten Mobile is a business that has grown with trust and support of our shareholders. Following capital expenditures focused on the installation of cell phone base stations from 2019, full-scale services were launched in April 2020. Since then, Rakuten Mobile has been pursuing services that are valuable to users, such as the launch of Rakuten SAIKYO Plan offering unlimited high-speed data nationwide, including 5G, as well as the launch of an enterprise business and a commercial service with the 700 MHz “Platinum Band” spectrum, along with the continued rollout of base stations to improve network quality. As a result, of Rakuten Mobile increased by 1.77 million during the current the total number of subscribers fiscal year, reaching approximately 8.3 million by the end of the year. In December 2024, EBITDA turned positive on a monthly basis, achieving the initial target for the period.
https://global.rakuten.com/corp/investors/stock/meeting.html
Non-GAAP operating income from January 1, 2024, to December 31, 2024 = ¥7.0 billion (¥160.1 billion increase YoY). If we will see an progress of ¥160.1 billion increase YoY in 2025, too, the Non-GAAP operating income from January 1, 2025, to December 31, 2025 will be ¥167.1 billion = $ 1.11 billion.
“The Rakuten Group discloses consolidated operating results in terms of both its internal measures which management relies upon in making decisions (hereinafter the “Non-GAAP financial measures”) and those under IFRS. Non-GAAP operating income is operating income under IFRS (hereinafter “IFRS operating income”) after deducting unusual items and other adjustments as prescribed by the Rakuten Group. Management believes that the disclosure of Non-GAAP financial measures facilitates comparison between the Rakuten Group and peer companies in the same industry or comparison of its business results with those of prior fiscal years by stakeholders, and can provide useful information in understanding the underlying business results of the Rakuten Group and its future outlook. Unusual items refer to one-off items that the Rakuten Group believes shall be excluded for the purposes of preparing a future outlook based on certain rules. Other adjustment items are those that tend to differ depending on the standards applied, and are therefore less comparable between companies, such as share based compensation expenses and amortization of acquisition-related intangible assets.”
https://global.rakuten.com/corp/investors/stock/meeting.html
By Dewa Siswanto
Senior Director of Product Operations, OSS
Rakuten Symphony
Network capacity forecasting and management is an engineering function that is vital to monitoring and ensuring the network will not collapse under the weight of the telecommunication service demands of a growing number of users, considering this model is running and helping network operations and expansion planning when the network is already in production. This allows the network engineer to set accurate KPIs and avoid customer service issues related to network capacity.
The Rakuten Symphony Network Capacity Forecasting AI Model is a solution that accommodates today’s KPIs and is scalable for the future. It stands out because it is trained on real-world network data and integrates with other OSS tools.
https://symphony.rakuten.com/blog/...acity-forecasting-and-management
- Highlights Korean shops with outstanding performance on Rakuten Ichiba
Seoul, March 28, 2025 – Rakuten Group, Inc. today announced that Rakuten Commerce & Marketing Korea Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of the Rakuten Group, has unveiled the winners of the Rakuten Ichiba Korea Best Shop Awards 2024. These awards honor the top-performing shops of the year operated by Korean businesses on its online marketplace, Rakuten Ichiba.
Since June 2023, Rakuten has been supporting Korean businesses in launching stores on Rakuten Ichiba, overseeing their operations and formulating marketing strategies through its office in Seoul. Additionally, the company aims to create opportunities for Korean businesses to succeed in the Japanese market by leveraging its local presence, including hosting annual events to showcase Rakuten Ichiba's unique market strategies.
https://global.rakuten.com/corp/news/press/2025/0328_01.html
Nagaoka City in Niigata Prefecture and Rakuten are working together to revitalize the region through the Rakuten Furusato Nozei ("Hometown Tax") program. During the city's major event, the Nagaoka Fireworks Festival, visitor marketing data obtained from the introduction of Rakuten Ticket as well as assets from Rakuten Ichiba and Rakuten Travel were leveraged to promote the Rakuten Hometown Tax program, local products, and tourism. The aim is to bridge the deep affection visitors feel towards Nagaoka City when they watch the fireworks with the Hometown Tax program. In this report, hear from two Rakutenians who have continuously supported Nagaoka City, as well as comments from city officials, local sake breweries, and food producers.
https://global.rakuten.com/corp/innovation/rnn/2025/2502_007/
As Japan’s e-commerce pioneer, Rakuten has been committed to helping SMEs digitalize and leverage the latest innovative technology from day one. So, it comes as no surprise that merchants on the Rakuten Ichiba e-commerce platform are some of the first B2B customers in the group’s ecosystem to get their hands on Rakuten’s powerful AI solutions.
Thanks to the RMS AI Assistant Beta Version– a powerful set of AI tools designed to enhance efficiency and simplify online store management – merchants across the nation are seeing gains in productivity and profit.
Since its launch in March 2024, the RMS AI Assistant Beta Version suite has seen remarkable uptake among Rakuten Ichiba merchants:
Around 64% of merchants have used the AI tools at least once.
More than 20% of merchants have integrated the tools into their daily operations, demonstrating high satisfaction and consistent use.
https://rakuten.today/blog/...anese-smes-to-thrive-in-the-ai-era.html
Open RAN revenues, which faced a decline in 2024, are projected to recover and grow rapidly in 2025, contributing 8 percent to 10 percent of total RAN revenues. Although short-term challenges persist, the long-term trajectory for Open RAN remains strong as the commercial readiness of next-generation interfaces evolves.
https://telecomlead.com/telecom-equipment/...l-improve-in-2025-119584
Last Updated : 03 Feb 2025
The global open RAN market size is calculated at USD 3.18 billion in 2025 and is forecasted to reach around USD 38.71 billion by 2034, accelerating at a CAGR of 32.11% from 2025 to 2034. The North America open RAN market size surpassed USD 1.08 billion in 2024 and is expanding at a CAGR of 32.20% during the forecast period. The market sizing and forecasts are revenue-based (USD Million/Billion), with 2024 as the base year.
https://www.precedenceresearch.com/open-ran-market
Sue Marek | March 23, 2025
During a panel hosted by Ookla at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona on March 4, Luke Kehoe, Ookla’s European analyst, moderated a discussion about open RAN featuring top mobile executives from Boost Mobile (formerly Dish Wireless) in the U.S., Paradise Mobile in Bermuda, and 1&1 in Germany.
The open vendor ecosystem of open RAN was also a key differentiator for 1&1. Michael Martin, CEO of 1&1 Mobilfunk, said that open RAN enabled the company to build a highly modular network with standardized components. He said the operator launched its network in December 2023 and started offering its enhanced mobile broadband (EMBB) services right away.
Since its launch, 1&1 has migrated six million mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) customers onto its network at a rate of 50,000 customers per day. “That’s a massive achievement,” Martin said. He emphasized that this success in managing a complex customer migration while building a network capable of supporting a large user base in a short period offers valuable lessons for brownfield operators elsewhere aiming to incorporate open RAN into their networks in the coming years.
https://www.ookla.com/articles/...an-technology-is-a-winning-strategy
When reported in Japanese currency, Symphony's full year revenues came in at 85bn yen ($557.2m), up by 62% from 2023. Symphony continues to gain market traction for its portfolio of technology products, which includes Open RAN systems.
https://www.google.de/search?
q=what+are+the+revenues+of+rakuten+symphony%2C+2025&sca_esv=bb656345beb648fb&biw=1591&bih=868&ei=gqDpZ6OqMtWJ9u8Pq_v2mAk&ved=0ahUKEwij89DrybKMAxXVhP0HHau9HZM4FBDh1QMIEA&uact=5&oq=what+are+the+revenues+of+rakuten+symphony%2C+2025&gs_lp=Egxnd3Mtd2l6LXNlcnAiL3doYXQgYXJlIHRoZSByZXZlbnVlcyBvZiByYWt1dGVuIHN5bXBob255LCAyMDI1MgUQIRigATIFECEYoAFIjEFQxhpY7jpwAXgBkAEAmAGOAaAB7wSqAQM1LjK4AQPIAQD4AQGYAgigAqMFwgIKEAAYsAMY1gQYR8ICBRAhGJ8FmAMAiAYBkAYCkgcDNi4yoAeBLg&sclient=gws-wiz-serp
March 31, 2025
The new asset-building app iGrow from Rakuten Securities, which has already received enthusiastic feedback from users, is an innovative app which allows users to easily view their assets held in Rakuten Securities, including iDeCo and NISA, as well as their deposit balances in Rakuten Bank. The groundbreaking features of iGrow are a result of the passionate development efforts of young Rakutenians.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ifKn0nU66Y
by Fabio Duarte
Last Updated: March 20, 2025
https://explodingtopics.com/blog/top-social-media-platforms
ttps://www.ariva.de/aktien/rakuten-group-inc-aktie/kurse/handelsplaetze
Diesen Pessimismus teile ich nicht.
April 01, 2025
Rakuten showcased groundbreaking innovations and partnerships under the theme "Intelligent Growth" at Mobile World Congress (MWC) Barcelona 2025. Many industry leaders took to the stage at the booth including executives from Cisco, Tech Mahindra, and Airspan, partners of Rakuten Symphony's Real Open RAN Licensing Program, who advocated for its simple, scalable, and cost-effective software platform. Mickey and AST SpaceMobile's CEO were also on stage, where plans to offer "continuous commercial service" within 2026 were discussed.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I0NI91Oi2Xw
April 01, 2025
From our Rakuten Booth in MWC Barcelona 2025, Sheheryar ‘SK’ Khakwani, VP of Partner Alliance and Business Governance for Rakuten symphony hosts this fascinating panel on Open Partner Ecosystems with our four panelists, Puneet Handa, Executive Officer, Rakuten Mobile & Head of Business Strategy & Portfolio at Rakuten Symphony, Harshvendra Soin, President - Asia Pacific and Japan Business at Tech Mahindra, Abbi Pilapitaya, CEO at Sierra, and Mauricio Gonzalez, Telcos Director at Isbel.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zgqD88Pr4Pw
By Catherine Sbeglia Nin
April 1, 2025
Telcos, too, remain committed to AI/gen AI
While concerns may be growing around gen AI’s true capabilities and impact, KT’s Chief Responsible AI Officer Soonmin Bae and Rakuten Symphony’s Chief Marketing Officer Geoff Hollingworth took the stage at last month’s Mobile World Congress Barcelona to directly address why, exactly, telcos should remain optimistic about how AI will transform their business.
One key point articulated by Hollingworth is that AI itself will solve the AI talent problem for telcos. “Telecom has been a laggard in technology innovation,” he admitted, but added that this has only really been for one reason. “Technology innovation is a software business; it’s a software domain. We have never been able to attract, retain and develop the kind of software engineers that the technology leaders have done outside ourselves… Our biggest opportunity is to use AI to become a leader in the next software wave, where we are all empowered because of our domain knowledge and we’re not limited now because of our lack with coding skills.”
https://www.rcrwireless.com/20250401/business-investing/gen-ai-gartner
Tokyo, April 3, 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 its maritime cybersecurity service Rakuten Maritime.
Launched in December 2024, Rakuten Maritime provides comprehensive cybersecurity solutions that safeguard vessels across their entire lifecycle. Rakuten Symphony partnered with CYTUR, a South Korean cybersecurity startup, to develop Rakuten Maritime.
https://global.rakuten.com/corp/news/press/2025/0403_01.html
7 March 2025
Raghunath Hariharan is CTO, Rakuten Symphony. In this revealing interview with TMN editor Keith Dyer he explains how the efforts to disaggregate mobile networks almost went too far, and describes the need for an intermediate approach that provides a level of pre-integration, while remaining open.
Rakuten Symphony itself has had to change, and has successfully migrated its Open RAN business to a licensing model, which will enable it to open up enterprise and private networks opportunities via its licensee partners.
https://the-mobile-network.com/2025/03/23287/
TOKYO and SANTA CLARA, Calif., April 2, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Rakuten Symphony, Inc. and Nirmata, Inc., today announced successful testing and certification for Kyverno, the policy engine designed for Kubernetes, on Rakuten Cloud-Native Platform and Rakuten Cloud-Native Storage. The integrated solution will allow Rakuten Cloud customers to leverage Kyverno to enforce security and policies in their Kubernetes® deployments.
"Rakuten Cloud offers ease-of-use automation with industry-leading features including data security and compliance enforcement in cloud-native environments," said Partha Seetala, President of Cloud Business Unit at Rakuten Symphony. "With Nirmata and Kyverno, Rakuten Cloud customers in sensitive and critical industries like health care and finance benefit from Kyverno's policy-as-a-code approach."
https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/...-solutions-302414494.html