SoftBank's PayPay seeks year-end IPO while GCash delays

While SoftBank's PayPay seeks an IPO by year's end, GCash, which is partly owned by Globe Telecom, has delayed its IPO plans until late 2026.

Robert Clark, Contributing Editor, Light Reading
October 22, 2025

SoftBank Corp is prepping its payments business for an IPO that could be one of the biggest paydays for any telco this year. Its PayPay operation is expected to list by year-end with a valuation of as much as $20 billion, Reuters reports.

The company, which is the Japanese telecoms arm of Masayoshi Son's SoftBank Group, has been meeting with institutional investors over the past month to discuss potential valuations, sources told Reuters.

They said investors expect a minimum valuation of 2 trillion Japanese yen (US$13 billion) but believe it could top JPY3 trillion ($19.9 billion).

Fintech has become an important growth driver at SoftBank. It was the company's fastest-growing segment in Q2, expanding 23% to JPY91.3 billion (US$600 million), and yielding a gross profit of JPY18.6 billion ($122.4 million).

https://www.lightreading.com/finance/...ar-end-ipo-while-gcash-delays
 

Rakuten Considers U.S. IPO for Credit Card Business Amid Strategic Expansion

Japanese e-commerce and finance company Rakuten is exploring the possibility of an initial public offering (IPO) in the United States for its credit card business. This move is reportedly in the early
stages, with other options such as a stake sale to a strategic buyer also being considered. The decision to potentially list in the U.S. follows rival SoftBank's plans to list its app pay operator, PayPay, in the U.S. Rakuten's shares saw a 4.7% increase following the news, outperforming the Topix index's 1.6% rise. Mizuho Financial Group previously acquired a 15% stake in Rakuten Card, valuing the business at over 1 trillion yen ($7 billion). Rakuten Card has issued over 30 million credit cards in Japan and aims to expand its profit to 100 billion yen over the medium term.

https://trends.glance.com/story/articles/Auto/US/...sonalisation=true
 

The Open RAN market is projected to grow significantly in 2025, with one report estimating it will grow by $4.47 billion in 2025, adding to its 2024 value of $3.25 billion. Other forecasts for the Open RAN market's growth rate vary, but a CAGR of around 34.1% to 39.4% is anticipated through 2032, driven by the demand for more flexible, cost-effective, and scalable 5G infrastructure.  

The Future of Affiliate Reporting has Arrived. Introducing Prompt.

September 17, 2025

Rakuten Advertising advertisers and publishers can officially stop running manual reports, and start getting quick answers with Prompt, now available in our dedicated Insights and Analytics Portal.

What is Prompt?

Prompt is a proprietary, developed in-house, natural-language-powered reporting assistant designed to remove the repetitive, manual motions and workflows between affiliate marketers and the answers they need – and quickly. Prompt leverages over 250 affiliate performance reporting data points, with even more coming soon, to deliver customized reports and visualizations based on “plain language” questions.

With increasingly more data points and reporting templates available, knowing which fields to add or which template to use can take time and trial and error – leaving insights undiscovered, and unknowns, unknown. In the upcoming coming months, Prompt will expand to include additional reporting insights to include existing data from solutions such as our Benchmarking, Affiliate Conversion Journey and more.

How does it work?

Prompt is designed to save time on repetitive reporting tasks so you can focus on what matters most: data analysis, insight extraction, and strategy. Skip legacy reporting navigation by asking questions in your own words and get answers on the fly.

Prompt shines when you need to explore data ad hoc, discover new metrics, or quickly answer unique questions. Quickly fulfill custom reporting requests, share insights cross-functionally, and operate at high velocity to optimize resources, streamline decision-making, and communicate findings with ease.
Whether you want to see top-performing products or partners year over year, or track how your program’s AOV has changed over time, Prompt helps you:
Toggle between tables and graphs
Apply advanced filters
Ask follow-up questions
Save and share outputs

We Keep Your Data Secure

Our proprietary approach to AI product development keeps all performance information securely within the Rakuten Advertising ecosystem, generating the answers you need without sending data to any external open or closed AI models. We prioritize your privacy and the integrity of your information, building Prompt with security as a foundational principle.

All of your performance information stays securely within the Rakuten Advertising ecosystem, generating the answers you need without sending data to any external open or closed AI models. This means your sensitive performance data never leaves our controlled environment while using Prompt.

Getting Started

Current advertiser clients and publishers on our network can access Prompt directly from our Insights and Analytics portal. From your dashboard, simply navigate to Reporting, Insights and Analytics Portal, Analytics, then Affiliate Reporting and you’ll see the signature Prompt text box welcoming you to the future of affiliate reporting. You can still toggle back to run reports in the historical method if you choose.

https://blog.rakutenadvertising.com/...-and-analytics-prompt-is-here/

 

Choose Your Stay, Your Way with New "Rakuten Travel AI Hotel Search"

October 27, 2025

Rakuten Travel has launched "Rakuten Travel AI Hotel Search," a new feature that proposes optimal accommodations. This AI agent, in a chat format, understands and supports diverse traveler needs such as specific accommodation preferences and desired locations based on Rakuten Travel's vast reviews and facility information. Even with vague requests like "I want to see autumn leaves," the AI identifies suitable candidates. In this video, members of the dev team introduce the AI agent's features and future.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k2rrNjpy2PU&t=60s
 

31 million shares with a value of about $ 2.7 billion

Google Parent Alphabet Has $754 Million Invested in These 3 Hot Growth Stocks. Here's the 1 Wall Street Likes the Most.

Alphabet's big winners

Alphabet's biggest equity holding is in AST Spacemobile (NASDAQ: ASTS). As of June 30, 2025, the company's stake in AST Spacemobile was worth roughly $418 million and made up 19.6% of Alphabet's investment portfolio.

AST Spacemobile is developing the first space-based cellular broadband network that can be directly accessed by smartphones. It plans to deploy nationwide intermittent service in the U.S. by year-end and expand into Canada, Japan, and the U.K. in early 2026. Investors are already excited about AST Spacemobile's prospects: The space stock has nearly quadrupled year to date.

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/...alphabet-754-million-102400423.html
 

Rakuten Mobile Enterprise Solutions Support Beauty Industry DX

October 28, 2025

Rakuten Mobile's enterprise services offer a variety of solutions, including generative AI, to address the challenges of digital transformation (DX) faced by corporate clients.

This video introduces the case study of "ABBEY Kamakura," a hair salon that achieved such a transformation by adopting Rakuten Mobile's solutions, along with other Rakuten Group services such as Rakuten Pay Terminal and Rakuten Magazine.

https://global.rakuten.com/corp/innovation/rnn/2025/2503_006/



 

Rakuten Travel Expands Worldwide Hotel Booking, Giving Travelers Choice, Clarity and Rewards Across More Than 400,000 International Properties
- Expanded platform gives travelers access to a vast global network of hotels, resorts and unique stays with transparent pricing, intuitive search and ecosystem benefits

Tokyo, October 28, 2025 - Rakuten Group, Inc. today announced that its online travel agency, Rakuten Travel, is expanding its hotel booking services worldwide, giving travelers access to more than 400,000 accommodations across diverse destinations.

Previously focused on inbound and domestic travel in Japan, alongside outbound services from Japan, Rakuten Travel's enhanced platform now allows travelers to book hotels, resorts and unique stays around the world.

Since its launch in 2001, Rakuten Travel has built strong relationships with a wide range of accommodations across Japan, from small inns to luxury hotels and traditional Japanese ryokans. Local sales consultants work closely with each partner to optimize guest satisfaction and revenue. Rakuten Travel is now applying the same approach as it expands its service offerings and partnerships internationally, bringing its proven methods and collaborative spirit to travelers worldwide.

James Park, Director of Rakuten Travel Singapore, stated, “This launch marks a significant milestone for Rakuten Travel as we expand beyond our Japan-centric roots to become a truly global online travel agency. Building on our extensive experience serving travelers within Japan and welcoming visitors to the country, our goal is to make planning, booking and staying as smooth and rewarding as possible for every traveler.”

The new global hotel platform provides travelers with transparent pricing, showing the final cost upfront, inclusive of all taxes and fees, and offers access to more than 400,000 hotels, resorts and unique accommodations worldwide, with plans for continuous expansion.

Alongside an intuitive search, comparison and booking interface available in eight languages including English, Simplified and Traditional Chinese (Hong Kong and Taiwan), Korean, Thai, Indonesian and Vietnamese, the platform makes booking easy and efficient. Future integration with other Rakuten services will allow travelers to enjoy seamless experiences and enhanced loyalty rewards, adding even more value to every trip.

About Rakuten Travel
Rakuten Travel is a leading online travel agency in Japan. Launched in 2001, the service offers Japan’s broadest selection of local travel accommodation listings. With 14 offices in various countries and regions, Rakuten Travel is expanding its international operations and offers support in eight languages: English, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese (Taiwan), Traditional Chinese (Hong Kong), Korean, Thai, Indonesian and Vietnamese. It is part of the Rakuten Group, which operates more than 70 businesses spanning e-commerce, fintech, digital content and communications with 2 billion members around the world.

https://global.rakuten.com/corp/news/press/2025/1028_02.html

 

By Juan Pedro Tomás
October 27, 2025

Japan leads global open vRAN adoption – Rakuten Mobile operates the world’s largest open vRAN network, while NTT Docomo and KDDI have deployed early commercial versions.

Regional adoption remains limited – India, Indonesia, South Korea, and Vietnam are conducting trials, with few large-scale commercial rollouts so far.

Beyond Japan, Pascal said progress has been slower, with “activities in other countries including India, Indonesia, South Korea, Vietnam and others, but at smaller scale, mostly pilot deployments and trial activities.”

He clarified that Omdia uses the term open vRAN rather than O-RAN because it combines two critical shifts: functional disaggregation and virtualization. “Open vRAN as we define it combines the principles of Open RAN — RAN functional disaggregation, open fronthaul interface — and the principles of vRAN — virtualization of the baseband functions, use of so-called general-purpose servers instead of dedicated appliances,” Pascal said. “Open vRAN is more transformative than open RAN alone, and it is always multi-vendor.”

https://www.rcrwireless.com/20251027/carriers/open-vran-apac-omdia
 

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/HF-bpcwco8M
 

www.youtube.com/shorts/HF-bpcwco8M  

Rakuten Travel Launches IHG One Rewards Member Discounts for Japan Hotels
- One-stop enrollment and points accumulation now available for Rakuten and IHG members

Tokyo, October 29, 2025 – Rakuten Travel, a leading online travel agency in Japan under the Rakuten Group, today announced that bookings through Rakuten Travel can now take advantage of IHG One Rewards member discount rates at IHG Hotels & Resorts, a global hospitality company with over 6,800 hotels worldwide.

Enrollment in IHG One Rewards is available to Rakuten members through Rakuten Travel, allowing them to enjoy member rates at eligible IHG-affiliated hotels in Japan. When booking IHG hotels via Rakuten Travel, members can earn both Rakuten Points and IHG One Rewards Points, or opt to receive only Rakuten Points by adjusting their IHG One Rewards account settings.

Using a dedicated Rakuten Travel page, existing IHG One Rewards members are also able to link their IHG and Rakuten IDs and start enjoying member benefits immediately.

On IHG’s official website and app, users can also earn Rakuten Points when booking eligible IHG hotels worldwide. By offering IHG One Rewards member rates through Rakuten Travel and simplifying access to combined benefits, Rakuten and IHG are strengthening their collaboration and enriching the loyalty experience.

Going forward, Rakuten Travel will continue to partner with global hotel brands to provide members greater value and seamless booking experiences.

About IHG Hotels & Resorts
IHG Hotels & Resorts is a global hospitality company, with a purpose to provide True Hospitality for Good. With a family of 20 hotel brands and IHG One Rewards, one of the world's largest hotel loyalty programmes with over 145 million members, IHG has more than one million rooms and 6,800 open hotels in over 100 countries, and a development pipeline of over 2,300 properties.
Luxury & Lifestyle: Six Senses, Regent Hotels & Resorts, InterContinental Hotels & Resorts, Vignette Collection, Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants, Hotel Indigo
Premium: voco hotels, HUALUXE Hotels & Resorts, Crowne Plaza Hotels & Resorts, EVEN Hotels
Essentials: Holiday Inn Express, Holiday Inn Hotels & Resorts, Holiday Inn Express, Garner hotels, avid hotels
Suites: Atwell Suites, Staybridge Suites, Holiday Inn Club Vacations, Candlewood Suites
Exclusive Partners: Iberostar Beachfront Resorts
InterContinental Hotels Group PLC is the Group's holding company and is incorporated and registered in England and Wales. Approximately 385,000 people work across IHG's hotels and corporate offices globally. Visit us online for more about our hotels and reservations and IHG One Rewards. To download the new IHG One Rewards app, visit the Apple App or Google Play stores.
For our latest news, visit our Newsroom and follow us on LinkedIn.

About Rakuten Travel
Rakuten Travel is a leading online travel agency in Japan. Launched in 2001, the service offers Japan’s broadest selection of local travel accommodation listings. With 14 offices in various countries and regions, Rakuten Travel is expanding its international operations and offers support in nine languages: English, Japanese, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese (Taiwan), Traditional Chinese (Hong Kong), Korean, Thai, Indonesian and Vietnamese. It is part of the Rakuten Group, which operates more than 70 businesses spanning e-commerce, fintech, digital content and communications with 2 billion members around the world.

https://global.rakuten.com/corp/news/press/2025/1029_01.html


 

Japanese digital payment market will triple until 2033

October 6, 2025

The Japanese digital payment market is set for significant expansion, projected to grow from US$ 469.54 billion in 2024 to US$ 1.32 trillion by 2033, driven by key factors such as increased smartphone penetration, a strong push towards a cashless society by the government, and advancements in payment technologies. The surge in e-commerce also contributes to this growth, although challenges such as cultural preferences for cash and cybersecurity concerns remain. As Japan endeavors to build a cashless society, the interplay of technology, government policy, and consumer behavior will play critical roles in shaping the market's trajectory.

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/...apans-cashless-shift-123756639.html
 

https://my-best.com/articles/658

 

Worry-free & savings for life! SAIKYO SENIOR Program | Rakuten SAIKYO Plan (Price Plan) | Rakuten Mobile

https://network.mobile.rakuten.co.jp/en/fee/senior/
 

Announcement of Financial Results of Rakuten Securities, Inc., a Consolidated Subsidiary

October 30, 2025

https://global.rakuten.com/corp/news/press/
 

Global Stars Light Up Rakuten Viki's K-Drama Day 2025

October 30, 2025

Rakuten Viki celebrated its third annual K-Drama Day campaign in September 2025, showcasing the global rise and diverse fandom of Korean entertainment. Having reached 100 million registered users earlier in the year, this campaign aimed to bring even more fans closer to the world of K-dramas by spotlighting the genre's broad international appeal. This was done partly by collaborating with three globally known actors in an ad shown widely across CTV and digital platforms.

https://www.ariva.de/forum/...s-rocket-511168?new_pnr=28184046#bottom
 

Rakuten Symphony and SLT-MOBITEL sign MoU to deploy Open RAN Trial in Sri Lanka
Pilot project marks one of South Asia's first Open RAN deployments

Colombo and Tokyo, October 16, 2025 – Rakuten Symphony and SLT-MOBITEL have announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to collaborate on a pilot project to build an Open Radio Access Network (Open RAN) comprising 4G and 5G NSA/SA (Non-Standalone and Standalone) sites within Sri Lanka.

SLT-MOBITEL will leverage Rakuten Symphony’s advanced Open RAN portfolio to deliver innovative network infrastructure for the project, including a virtualized Centralized Unit (CU)and Distributed Unit (DU) infrastructure, along with pre-certified third party 4G and 5G open Radio Units (RUs).

The partnership is part of a wider strategic initiative led by Rakuten Mobile, Rakuten Symphony’s parent company, supported by the Japanese government. This initiative is accelerating global Open RAN adoption to diversify the telecom supply chain and represents a forward-looking investment in telecom to make networks more competitive and secure. To date, initiatives have been rolled out in India, Vietnam, Kuwait and Kenya.

The project will be among the first Open RAN deployments in South Asia and serves as a precursor to a nationwide Open RAN deployment in Sri Lanka, aimed at enhancing SLT-MOBITEL’s network agility, efficiency and scalability.
Sharad Sriwastawa, President of Rakuten Symphony, said, “Adopting open network principles and leveraging Rakuten Symphony’s proven technology, SLT-MOBITEL is positioned to achieve improved total cost of ownership, a leaner operating model and faster time to market, ultimately delivering improved network outcomes and an enhanced customer experience. We look forward to supporting SLT-MOBITEL in the delivery of one of South Asia’s first Open RAN deployments.”

Sudharshana Geeganage, Chief Operating Officer of Mobitel (Pvt) Ltd., said, “SLT-MOBITEL is proud to lead South Asia's Open RAN revolution through the partnership with Rakuten Symphony. The collaboration demonstrates SLT-MOBITEL's focus on implementing next-generation technologies to strengthen our service capabilities. Open RAN trial will offer unprecedented network flexibility and innovation capabilities, supporting SLT-MOBITEL to deliver superior customer value and support Sri Lanka's digital economy growth."

Rakuten Symphony, through its collaboration with Rakuten Mobile who applies achievements obtained from key research and development projects subsidized by the NEDO (New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization) program*1, remains committed to leading Open RAN innovation, and the development of automated network quality assurance systems and edge cloud capabilities for next-generation communication networks of the future.

https://symphony.rakuten.com/newsroom/...520Kuwait%2520and%2520Kenya.
 

ASTS Inks Commercial Agreement with stc group: Will it Fuel Revenue?

Thu, October 30, 2025

AST SpaceMobile ASTS is benefiting from a growing client base backed by its robust satellite connectivity portfolio. Recently, the Saudi Telecom Company, known as the stc group, has signed a 10-year commercial agreement with AST SpaceMobile. stc has prepaid $175 million for future services and made a long-term commercial revenue commitment.

stc group is the first in the region to adopt direct-to-device satellite broadband connectivity. The collaboration aims to deliver seamless 4G and 5G mobile services to businesses, the government sector and consumers across underserved remote regions. ASTS will integrate its space-based cellular broadband connectivity infrastructure with stc’s terrestrial network infrastructure. The partnership intends to provide mobile coverage across Saudi Arabia and some countries in the Middle East and Africa region.

Space-based connectivity infrastructure is gaining prominence worldwide owing to several reasons. Despite the rapid expansion of terrestrial network infrastructure, a significant part of population is still outside of stable network coverage. Geographical obstacles, scattered population and various other factors make network deployment unviable telecom operators. ASTS’ space-based connectivity can address these issues.

Per a report from Grand View Research, the global satellite communication market is projected to witness a compound annual growth rate of 10.2% from 2025 to 2030. With a robust portfolio and strong emphasis on innovation, ASTS has become one of the pioneer in this domain. Major telecom operators such as AT&T, Verizon, Rakuten has formed collaboration with ASTS. Vodafone Idea (Vi), a major network service provider in India is also collaborating with ASTS to bring space-based connectivity to one of the largest and dynamic telecom markets in the world. Now, with its collaboration with stc group, ASTS also gains a first mover advantage in the middle east region.

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/...ercial-agreement-stc-180300159.html

 

By Vivek Murthy, President, OSS Rakuten Symphony

October 30, 2025

https://symphony.rakuten.com/blog/...ion-is-how-telecom-moves-forward
 

Doorzo Expands Global Reach Through Strategic Partnerships with Mercari, Rakuma, and Rakuten Ichiba

Customers Can Now Shop Mercari, Rakuma, and Rakuten Ichiba Directly Through the "Doorzo" Platform

June 20, 2025 -- SIG Service INC has entered into a strategic partnership with Mercari Japan, Rakuma, and Rakuten Ichiba. Through the Doorzo platform, global customers can shop directly on these major Japanese marketplaces. This collaboration streamlines the cross-border shopping experience and drives international growth for all participating platforms.

Founded in 2013, SIG Service INC. operates Doorzo, a cross-border e-commerce platform that allows international users to browse and buy products from Japan's leading online marketplaces. Available via mobile app and web browser, Doorzo supports international shipping and features built-in multilingual translation.

With no monthly fees or commissions for sellers, Doorzo offers a valuable channel for Japanese merchants aiming to reach global customers. Buyers enjoy a streamlined shopping experience with real-time support, competitive shipping rates, transparent service fees, and the ability to consolidate items from multiple websites into a single shipment.

About the Partnership

This integration allows users worldwide to shop on Mercari Japan, Rakuma, and Rakuten Ichiba through a single platform. Doorzo supports navigation in various languages, including Simplified and Traditional Chinese, Japanese, Korean, French, Spanish, German, and Italian, enhancing accessibility for global users.

The partnership ensures a smoother and more accessible shopping experience by addressing challenges such as language barriers, payment systems, and logistics. By combining Doorzo's cross-border fulfilment expertise with the expansive reach of Japan's top marketplaces, this collaboration expands the availability of Japanese goods worldwide.

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/...obal-reach-strategic-100000134.html
 

Im Oktober 2025 ist Rakuten Viber eine etablierte Kommunikationsplattform, die neue Funktionen wie Viber Dating eingeführt hat und sich auf Sicherheit und Benutzerfreundlichkeit konzentriert
, was sich in aktualisierten Nutzungsbedingungen und der Einhaltung von EU-Richtlinien zur Bekämpfung von Hassreden widerspiegelt. Das Unternehmen fördert zudem die Verbindung zwischen Unternehmen und Nutzern durch neue Business-Funktionen.

Wichtige Entwicklungen und Merkmale (Oktober 2025):

Neue Datenschutzbestimmungen: Neue Nutzungsbedingungen sind seit dem 21. Oktober 2025 wirksam und betonen weiterhin Privatsphäre und Sicherheit als zentrale Anliegen.
Einführung von Viber Dating: Als Reaktion auf die Nachfrage nach echten Verbindungen wurde Viber Dating im Frühjahr 2025 gestartet, um Nutzern zu helfen, neue Leute in einem sicheren Umfeld kennenzulernen.

Engagement für Sicherheit: Rakuten Viber hat sich dem EU-Verhaltenskodex zur Bekämpfung illegaler Hassreden angeschlossen, was durch Initiativen des Global PR Director, Liliana Pertenava, unterstrichen wird.

Business-Funktionen: Das Unternehmen erweitert seine Angebote um die Anbindung von Unternehmen, um die Kommunikation zwischen Firmen und Nutzern zu erleichtern.
Fortlaufende Richtlinien-Updates: Viber implementiert fortlaufend Updates, um eine sichere und benutzerfreundliche Umgebung zu gewährleisten.

Integration von Zahlungsfunktionen: In Zusammenarbeit mit Rapyd werden In-App-Zahlungstransaktionen in die Viber-App integriert.

Kernfunktionen von Viber:

Kostenlose Sprach- und Videoanrufe (Zweier- und Gruppenanrufe).

Senden von Textnachrichten, Fotos, Stickern, GIFs und Videos.

Nutzung von Communities und Kanälen für öffentliche Kommunikation.

Viber Out zum Anrufen von Festnetz- und Mobilfunknummern weltweit (kostenpflichtig).

Zusammenfassend bleibt Rakuten Viber eine vielseitige Kommunikations-App, die sich weiterentwickelt, um den Anforderungen der Nutzer gerecht zu werden, insbesondere in Bezug auf Sicherheit, neue Verbindungsmöglichkeiten und Business-Interaktionen.

https://www.google.com/...gcLMC40LjEwLjE0LjHIB-gB&sclient=gws-wiz
 

Get up to 23% Cash-Back at Popular Retailers With Rakuten’s ‘Holiday Big Deal Reveal’
Rakuten’s Holiday Big Deal Reveal

For the first 10 days of November, Rakuten will offer a different cash-back deal at 10 different retailers, with cash-back rates of up to 23% (or 23 Amex points per $1 spent) on purchases made through the Holiday Big Deal Reveal promotion.

And, if you hold The Rakuten American Express® Card*, you can earn 30% cash-back (or 30 Amex points per $1 spent) at all of the participating retailers if you use the card to make your purchases.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/personalfinance/...reveal/ar-AA1NWzDo
 

Inside Rakuten AI: Hidefumi Watanabe on how AI unlocks deeper consumer understanding

2 days ago 6 min read

In the dynamic world of marketing research, understanding consumer behavior is paramount. Rakuten Insight, a leader in this field, is not just keeping pace with technological advancements but actively driving innovation, particularly through the strategic integration of AI.

As a company playing a fundamental role in the marketing research industry, Rakuten Insight’s mission revolves around delivering robust, evidence-based, and high-quality data to support critical business decisions.

“Rakuten Insight has one of the Japanese industry’s largest survey panels, with approximately 2.2 million members,” Watanabe said. “This large number enables us to conduct surveys for very specific, niche segments and targets, providing robust and reliable results.”

Beyond traditional surveys, Rakuten Insight has innovated with services like R-Brand Lift Survey, which offers a more accurate measure of advertising effectiveness.

“R-Brand Lift Survey is a new service where we ask the same questions to people who have seen an ad and those who haven’t, using actual log data to determine ad exposure,” Watanabe clarifies.

“Previously, we had to ask in surveys if respondents had seen a certain ad. Now, with log data, we can objectively determine exposure. This significantly improves data quality, as we can verify responses that were previously difficult to confirm.”

This approach addresses a long-standing challenge in advertising measurement, ensuring that clients receive truly impactful insights. The sheer scale of Rakuten Insight’s monitoring base also allows them to gather sufficient sample sizes for even the most niche campaigns.

“Because we have the industry’s largest number of survey participants, we can secure sufficient sample sizes even for niche advertisements,” Watanabe notes. “For instance, we’ve heard feedback that for surveys where other companies could only gather 10-15 samples, Rakuten Insight was able to collect over 30 samples, making it a valid quantitative study.”

The R-Brand Lift Survey service has been operational for around five years, evolving with the market. The rise of video advertising, in particular, has fueled the demand for this type of precise ad measurement. As the number of video ads increases, the need to survey people who have actually been exposed to video ads also grows.

In addtion to brands, media companies can also use this data to demonstrate the value of their advertising products to brands wishing to advertise. In this way, the demand for surveys using log data in paralled with growth in the video advertising market.

“The AI Chat Interview service leverages the power of AI to ask questions to multiple users. We can conduct hundreds of interviews simultaneously, and transcription is instant, leading to faster delivery,” Watanabe states. “AI Chat Interview can compensate for the weaknesses of traditional surveys and the limitations of human interviews.”

Launched in the latter half of last year, the service initially took time to gain traction but has since seen remarkable growth, with increasinlgy positive reviews from clients leading to our March sales surging tenfold compared to January.

To ensure the highest quality of AI-driven insights, Rakuten Insight has strategically integrated human expertise into the AI development process.

“Previously, the department responsible for AI products developed prompt tools, but now  we have involved professional interview researchers in prompt creation,” Watanabe reveals. “By infusing human interview know-how into our AI prompts, we have significantly improved accuracy.”
The user response to AI Chat Interview has been overwhelmingly positive, particularly for sensitive topics.

“For interviews about personal and sensitive topics, such as illness, respondents may feel hesitant about sharing freely with another human. Whereas AI Chat Interview seems to reduce this apprehension, making users feel their privacy is protected,” Watanabe observes. “The ability to conduct a large number of interviews in a short timeframe adds a lot of value.”

Rakuten Insight aims to utilize AI not just in the research process but across the client’s entire decision-making process, supporting higher-quality decisions.

Looking ahead, Watanabe sees AI as more than just a tool; it’s a fundamental aspect of Rakuten Insight’s organizational culture and future growth.

“I believe the advancement of AI at our company is primarily driven by our organizational culture,” Watanabe reflects. “I have found many of our members are extremely proactive and passionate, and our data analysis business has great synergy with AI. We want to strengthen this culture of leveraging AI, as I believe it’s paramount to making our organization strong and our business best positioned among competitors.”.

“In the future, we aim to utilize AI not just in the research process but across the client’s entire decision-making process, supporting higher-quality decisions,” Watanabe concludes. “Ultimately, in the marketing domain, we want to create a system where data directly impacts client decision-making.”

Rakuten Insight is at the forefront of transforming the marketing research industry. By combining its unparalleled network of respondents with innovative AI solutions like the AI Chat Interview and the R-Brand Lift Survey solutions, the company is not only overcoming traditional research limitations but also empowering businesses with deeper, more accurate, and faster consumer insights.

Watanable outlined the ongoing evolution of Rakuten Insight, “In the marketing research industry, we originally saw our mission as driving innovation through online surveys. Traditionally, surveys were conducted via phone, paper, mail, or in-person visits, but now most of that has been replaced by the internet. Our next goal is to become the industry’s frontrunner by leveraging AI, and we intend to steadily advance our business in that direction.”

https://rakuten.today/blog/...ocks-deeper-consumer-understanding.html

 

Winner of the "Office Environment Award for Excellence" at the Contact Center Awards 2025
- Focusing on the diverse needs of employees! Highly evaluated for promoting communication and fostering corporate engagement -

October 31

https://www.rakuten-sec.co.jp/web/company/newsrelease/fy2025.html