Rakuten's Q2 results also reflect disciplined cost management and strategic pricing. The Mobile segment's net ARPU rose to ¥2,474 (up 114 yen YoY), driven by data usage growth and bundled services. Meanwhile, the FinTech segment's cost-to-income ratio improved to 52% (down from 60% in 2024), thanks to AI-driven automation in customer service and fraud detection.

The IFRS operating income of ¥8.8 billion in Q2—Rakuten's first Q2 profit since 2020—signals a structural shift. With the Mobile segment on track for full-year EBITDA profitability in 2025 and AI initiatives scaling across 900,000+ business partners via Rakuten AI for Business, the company is building a durable competitive moat.

https://www.ainvest.com/news/...h-ai-driven-ecosystem-dominance-2508/

 

$500 share price 2030 target

Highlights

AST SpaceMobile (ticker: ASTS) will turn every smartphone into a satellite phone with broadband internet access anywhere in the world

It will achieve this by deploying and operating satellite “cell towers” in orbit that will cover the whole planet with LTE/4G/5G signal

3.2 billion people are currently offline with no internet access [1,2]. The pro-social and economic impact of bringing these people online can’t be overstated

1 trillion USD addressable market undergoing rapid growth in the sectors targeted by SpaceMobile: There will be more than 400 million new mobile phone users by 2025. Four in five connections globally will be smartphones by 2025; smartphone connections in Sub-Saharan Africa will nearly double. Global mobile data usage will grow almost fourfold by 2025. [1]

AST has a head start over competition. Other satellite internet providers usually require expensive satellite phones and offer very limited data - e.g. Iridium - or they require satellite dishes – e.g. SpaceX's Starlink broadband internet. The most viable competing service was announced only recently on August 25, 2022 - a partnership between T-Mobile and Starlink [3], which validates what AST is doing (more on this in the Competition chapter). The second closest competitor is a private company called Lynk, which is commercially behind SpaceMobile. Lynk's service will initially focus on low data rate services - text messaging only [4]).

Patented (2,400+ patents & patent claims [5,6,7,8] and to an extent tested [9] technology (space to Earth communication)

Funded for a commercial launch

Partnered with Vodafone [10] for immediate access to 271 million unconnected people, as well as additional agreements with major mobile network operators who together have 1.8 billion mobile customers [11]

50/50 revenue sharing business model with mobile network operators leads to extremely attractive 90%+ profit margins, as AST will be selling its services wholesale only and most of the administrative, sales, advertising and related expenses will be on the side of operators

Commercial viability validated by enterprise partners and investors, including Vodafone, Rakuten, American Tower [12], AT&T [13], Telefonica, Nokia [14], TSMC [15] and more

Explosive stock price growth potential (>$500 share price 2030 target in case the company succeeds in its mission, a 50x return from $10 price)

https://transhumanica.com/asts

 

Rakuten TV Enterprise: Verbindung von Werbetreibenden, Inhalten und Zielgruppen

Während sich die Art und Weise, wie Menschen auf Fernsehunterhaltung zugreifen und diese genießen, rasant entwickelt, hat die Fernsehlandschaft einen grundlegenden Wandel erfahren. Hinter den Kulissen sind die Beziehungen zwischen Zuschauern, Rechteinhabern, Rundfunkanstalten und Werbetreibenden immer komplexer geworden.

Als Europas erfahrensten CTV- und Streaming-Experten schuf Rakuten TV mit Rakuten TV Enterprise, eine Reihe von Produkten und Dienstleistungen zur Vereinfachung von CTV und Streaming für Agenturen und Werbetreibende, Inhalte-Lieferanten, Telekommunikationsunternehmen, TV-Betreiber und Publisher. Rakuten TV Enterprise verbindet Werbetreibende, Inhalte und Zielgruppen und bietet von fortschrittlichen Werbelösungen (z.B. CTVision+), über die Erstellung und Syndizierung von FAST-Kanälen bis hin zur Entwicklung von Multi-Plattform-Apps und die Verwaltung ihrer Monetarisierung, alles aus einer Hand.

Rakuten TV hatte ursprünglich "Rakuten TV Enterprise Services" ins Leben gerufen, um den Bedürfnissen von Inhalte-Eigentümern gerecht zu werden. Diese Services wurden bald auf Telekommunikationsunternehmen und TV-Betreiber ausgeweitet.

Der jüngste strategische Schritt konsolidiert alle Geschäftskunden Funktionen von Rakuten TV, einschließlich des Ad Sales, unter einer einheitlichen Marke: Rakuten TV Enterprise. Mit einem Schwerpunkt auf Transparenz, Verlässlichkeit und Messbarkeit umfasst die Rakuten TV Enterprise Ad Sales Division einen optimierten, integrierten Ansatz, der die Art und Weise neu definiert, wie Werbetreibende den CTV Kanal nutzen.

https://www.finanznachrichten.de/...en-b2b-bereich-enterprise-007.htm  

“Money Bridge” Service Linking Rakuten Bank and Rakuten Securities Accounts Surpasses 6 Million Accounts

Tokyo, September 10, 2025 - Rakuten Bank, Ltd. and Rakuten Securities, Inc. today announced that Money Bridge, a service connecting customers’ Rakuten Bank and Rakuten Securities accounts, has surpassed 6 million accounts as of September 10, 2025.

Rakuten Bank and Rakuten Securities began offering Money Bridge in April 2011 to improve the convenience of services for private asset building and management. Anyone with both a Rakuten Bank and Rakuten Securities account can apply for a Money Bridge account free of charge. Once setup is complete, users can use the automatic deposit and withdrawal (sweep) function, which saves them the trouble of transferring funds manually between accounts. In addition, a preferential interest rate*1 is applied on ordinary deposit accounts, while Rakuten Points are awarded for transactions made using Rakuten Securities. This user-friendly and efficient system, combined with the ability to earn Rakuten Points, has been embraced by Rakuten members, leading to the milestone of 6 million Money Bridge accounts.

In addition to Money Bridge, Rakuten Bank and Rakuten Securities launched Securities-Backed Loans in June 2025. This new collaborative service leverages the Rakuten Ecosystem by allowing customers to borrow funds from Rakuten Bank using domestic listed stocks held at Rakuten Securities as collateral. As a result of these initiatives, Rakuten Bank surpassed 17 million accounts*2 at the end of May 2025, solidifying its position as Japan's largest digital bank, and Rakuten Securities surpassed 12.5 million general securities customer accounts at the end of June 2025, marking the largest number of non-consolidated securities accounts (based on disclosed information) among Japanese securities companies*3. Many customers are attracted by the convenience of these entirely online fintech services, which never require a visit to a physical location.

Going forward, Rakuten Bank and Rakuten Securities are committed to effectively utilizing the strengths of the Rakuten Group to deliver innovative and convenient services that surpass those offered by traditional digital banks and online securities companies.

https://global.rakuten.com/corp/news/press/2025/0910_01.html
 

AT&T, Vodafone, Verizon, Bell, Rakuten, Orange, Telefonica, MTN, Smart, Liberty, Africell, Indosat, Telstra, Tico, Zain, Smartfren, Tim, Etisalat, Globe, Stc trust the on patents based most advanced technology in the sector of AST Space Mobile and ignore Musk’s expensive and complexe offers.  

The share of users choosing Rakuten Bank as their main account has risen 12.7% in the past year to 5.6 million – a third of the total customer base, leaving significant room for deeper engagement from existing users.

With deposits exceeding 12 trillion yen and over 17 million accounts opened to date, Torin says the bank’s growth is proof of the value of integrated services and customer-first thinking.
 

Zero Read Downtime: High-Impact Database Upgrades at Viki

20 hours ago

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

 

September 10

Rakuten Securities achieves a balance of 100 billion yen in "Rakuten Money Fund"!
- High convenience that allows for efficient operation without hassle is popular, achieved in about 3 months from the start of handling

https://www.rakuten-sec.co.jp/web/company/.../pdf/press20250910_2.pdf

 

Investment Implications: A High-Conviction Play

Rakuten's strategic pivot to AI and ecosystem integration aligns with two macro trends:

Asia's AI-driven digital transformation, where Rakuten's localized AI models (e.g., deep Japanese context awareness) offer a unique edge.
The convergence of tech and finance, with Rakuten's fintech platforms (e.g., Rakuten Bank, Rakuten Pay) poised to benefit from Japan's rising interest rates and digital payments adoption.

For investors, the key risks include regulatory scrutiny of AI tools and competition from global tech giants. However, Rakuten's first-mover advantage in AI personalization and its cross-segment data network create a high barrier to entry. The company's price-to-EBITDA ratio of 12x (as of August 2025) also appears undemanding relative to its growth trajectory.

Conclusion: A New Era for Rakuten: Rakuten's Q2 2025 results are more than a quarterly win—they represent a strategic. By monetizing its mobile ecosystem, embedding AI into core services, and leveraging cross-segment synergies, the company is building a scalable, self-reinforcing platform. For investors seeking exposure to Asia's AI-driven tech-financial ecosystem, Rakuten offers a compelling combination of near-term profitability and long-term innovation.

ttps://www.ainvest.com/news/...ound-path-ai-driven-ecosystem-dominance-2508/
 

Rakuten Viki's K-Drama Day Returns For The Third Year: Celebrate With Free Shows, Special Prizes, Talent Exclusives, And More

Sep 11, 2025

K-drama fans, get ready! Rakuten Viki, the leading destination for Asian entertainment, has announced the dates for its third annual K-Drama Day, which celebrates the growing popularity and global fandom of Korean entertainment. Kicking off September 26 and running through September 30, Viki will bring K-drama fans closer to their favorite genre with an exciting lineup of prizes, talent exclusives and more.

For this year’s K-Drama Day celebration, Viki will make 10 of its hottest titles available for free for a limited time in select regions, including hit shows like “Reborn Rich” starring Song Joong Ki, romantic fantasy “Lovely Runner” featuring Byeon Woo Seok and Kim Hye Yoon, and rom-com “My Dearest Nemesis” starring Mun Ka Young and Choi Hyun Wook. Fans will also be treated to a special ad campaign that Viki will debut on September 26, featuring buzzworthy celebrity appearances.

“K-dramas bring people together, and this year’s event highlights the genre’s incredible impact on global entertainment,” said Sam Wu, chief executive officer at Rakuten Viki. “K-Drama Day is our moment to showcase the global appeal of K-dramas, to honor the storytellers who bring magic to life, and to celebrate the fans who have made K-dramas a huge cultural phenomenon.”

https://www.soompi.com/article/1773075wpp/...lent-exclusives-and-more
 

While exact revenues for Open RAN in September 2025 are not available, industry reports from July and September 2025 indicate that Open RAN revenues are stabilizing and approaching $10 billion, with expectations of potential long-term growth despite a flat overall RAN market. Recent developments show continued investment and technological advancements, but the stabilization is attributed to a favorable regional mix and lighter prior-year comparisons, rather than a fundamental shift in the market.

Key Developments in Q1-Q3 2025:
Stabilizing Trend: Open RAN (ORAN) revenues have stabilized, a positive sign for long-term growth.
Revenue Threshold: Open RAN revenue figures are nearing $10 billion.
Contributing Factors: The stabilization is linked to positive regional factors, particularly in North America, and less demanding comparisons to earlier periods.
Overall RAN Market: While Open RAN shows potential, the broader global RAN market is expected to be flat in 2025.
Technological Progress: Advances in technologies like vRAN, AI RAN, and private wireless are expected to play a significant role in the future of the market.

https://www.google.com/...VwgcJMC44LjE2LjExyAfbAQ&sclient=gws-wiz
 

Programmatic Influencer Advertising
Rakuten LINKSHARE REVO

What is programmatic influencer advertising?
LinkShare REVO is an evolved influencer marketing platform developed in-house by LinkShare Japan, a leader in affiliate marketing, that can be expected to continuously improve effectiveness.

https://jp.linkshare.com/service/influencer
 

Linkshare Japan Co., Ltd. is a company that operates an operational influencer marketing called LINKSHARE REVO.

https://media-radar.jp/contents/meditsubu/...ns5-influencer-measures/

 

Extensive portfolio of over 3,300 patents

AST SpaceMobile (ASTS) is pioneering the only space-based cellular broadband network designed to connect standard, unmodified smartphones directly via low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellites. The company aims to close mobile coverage gaps globally by working with mobile network operators and leveraging an extensive portfolio of over 3,300 patents. Its innovative technology promises to deliver affordable, high-speed internet access to underserved communities and remote areas, marking a major step forward in universal connectivity.

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/...st-spacemobile-stock-195319518.html

 

2025.07.23 12:45

Partners with Rakuten Ichiba to Support Korean Sellers Entry into Japanese Market
CJ Logistics is collaborating with Rakuten Ichiba, Japan’s leading online shopping mall, to support Korean sellers’ entry into the Japanese e-commerce market.

The company announced on July 23 that it held a seminar on the strategies for entering the Japanese E-commerce market for about 70 domestic beauty and health functional food sellers and brand representatives at the CJ Human Resources Development Center in Jung-gu, Seoul. Japan’s Rakuten Ichiba and global BPO service specialist group Transcosmos participated in this seminar to introduce one-stop support measures for Korean sellers to enter the Japanese e-commerce market.
This collaboration is differentiated by its direct connection to a platform with real influence in the Japanese e-commerce market. Rakuten, with over 100 million member IDs, has established a solid position among Japanese consumers based on high usage rates and credibility. Through Rakuten Ichiba, Korean sellers are expected to effectively expand their sales channels in the Japanese market and secure opportunities for stable sales growth.

CJ Logistics will perform stable logistics through local fulfillment centers in Japan that have obtained permits for handling cosmetics and quasi-drugs. In Japan, according to pharmaceutical laws, logistics processing of cosmetics or health functional foods is only possible at specialized fulfillment centers with handling permits. Three centers located in Saitama Prefecture, Gunma Prefecture, and Osaka Prefecture will be utilized. The total area is about 23,000 square meters. In particular, the Saitama Prefecture center is close to Tokyo, the center of consumption and distribution, allowing for quick response to the rapidly increasing e-commerce demand. If Korean sellers store their products in these centers in advance, packaging to shipping can be processed in one stop according to local orders. Delivery is shortened by about 1-2 days compared to direct shipping from Korea.

https://www.businesskorea.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=247807
 

[Neuestes 2025] Wie Rakuten AI die Zukunft verändern wird | Das Zeitalter der mächtigsten KI-Agenten ist endlich angebrochen!

https://sanctu-ary.com/de/crypto/rakuten-ai-launch/
 

What 6 Analyst Ratings Have To Say About AST SpaceMobile

September 9, 2025 by Benzinga Insights

The 12-month price targets, analyzed by analysts, offer insights with an average target of $48.72, a high estimate of $62.00, and a low estimate of $42.90. Witnessing a positive shift, the current average has risen by 7.43% from the previous average price target of $45.35.

https://www.benzinga.com/insights/analyst-ratings/...-ast-spacemobile

 

Rakuten Viber: Building Trust and Connecting Nepalis for More Than a Decade

Santosh Paudel
September 5, 2025

https://www.osnepalnews.com/...%E2%80%94all%2520in%2520one%2520place.
 

Rakuten Viber launches marketplace: Ukrainians will be able to find local businesses and communicate with them directly in the messenger

11 September 2025

Rakuten Viber is launching a marketplace right in the app. In the Marketplace tab on the mobile version of Viber, users will be able to find and connect with local businesses: beauty salons, medical services, restaurants, shops and many other services and businesses in their area.

https://dev.ua/en/news/rakuten-viber-zapuskaie-marketpleis-1757576746
 

Viber Erfahrungen von echten Nutzern - Capterra Deutschland 2025

https://www.capterra.com.de/reviews/180348/viber
 

DITO and Rakuten Viber Partner to Enable Next-Level Digital Lifestyles

By Team Orange August 16, 2025

Staying connected just got a major glow-up with DITO Telecommunity’s global telco partnership with Rakuten Viber, one of the world’s most loved communication platforms. This milestone brings a more exciting, seamless, lifestyle-driven way to keep the conversations alive, whether you’re catching up with friends, sharing your latest snaps with family, running daily errands, or even chasing new business opportunities.

https://orangemagazine.ph/2025/...able-next-level-digital-lifestyles/
 

https://www.google.com/finance/quote/5838:TYO

Rakuten owning 50% of Rakuten Bank = 4.5 $ billion
 

Fever Secures $100m, Strengthening Its Position as the Leading Independent Live Entertainment Tech Platform

New York, June 4, 2025 — Fever has secured over $100 million in funding from L Catterton and Point72 Private Investments through the completion of an equity funding process, including existing investors. This reinforces its position as the world’s leading independent technology platform for live experiences. The capital will fuel Fever’s continued growth in music and sports, two verticals where the company has gained significant traction over the past year.

The technology platform —now operating in more than 40 countries and reaching hundreds of millions of people through its discovery platform and media— has become a trusted partner for prestigious institutions across all live entertainment verticals, with a strong track record in the past year in both sports and live music.

This financing highlights a remarkable 2024, during which the company achieved over 20x revenue growth from pre-pandemic levels, while maintaining full-year EBITDA profitability.

https://newsroom.feverup.com/en-US/...ve-entertainment-tech-platform/

Fever, a city experience platform, has raised $35 million in new financing.
August 5, 2019
Rakuten Capital, the investment arm of internet services company Rakuten, led the round for the London and Madrid-based company.

https://www.phocuswire.com/Fever-35M-funding


 

Rakuten Medical to Weigh IPO to Extend Funding Beyond 2027

Rakuten Medical is conducting a global phase-3 human trial of its therapy for head and neck cancer

Updated Sept. 12, 2025

SINGAPORE—The president of Rakuten Medical, a developer of cancer treatments partly owned by Japan’s Rakuten Group 4755 3.28%increase; green up pointing triangle, said he would consider an initial public offering to raise funds after current funding runs out in two years.

“We need to make sure we have funding after 2027” and an IPO “would be a way,” said Minami Maeda in an interview.

Rakuten Medical is conducting a global phase-3 human trial of its therapy for head and neck cancer, aiming to enroll about 400 patients. Maeda said enrollment was going as planned and the company aimed to submit an application with the Food and Drug Administration by the end of 2028. The company already sells the therapy in Japan.

The company was founded in 2010. Hiroshi Mikitani, chief executive of Japanese internet company Rakuten Group, took control a few years later and renamed it Rakuten Medical in 2019.

A spokeswoman said Mikitani and his family own a majority stake in Rakuten Medical. Rakuten Group owned 21.58% of Rakuten Medical as of Dec. 31, 2024, according to a Rakuten Group securities filing, and the remainder is owned by outside investors including Hikma Pharmaceuticals.

https://www.wsj.com/health/pharma/...yond-2027-74eb9487?siteid=yhoof2
 

Announcement Regarding Early Redemption of Domestic Unsecured Subordinated Bonds Issued in 2018

https://global.rakuten.com/corp/news/press/2025/0916_11.html