Rakuten wesentlich besser als Rocket

- und daher habe ich mir nach dem Einstieg bei Alibaba, die inzwischem mehr als 20% gut gemacht haben, auch einige Rakutens gekauft.

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/  

Individual investors account for 44% of AST SpaceMobile, Inc.'s (NASDAQ:ASTS) ownership, while institutions account for 35%

Looking at our data, we can see that the largest shareholder is Rakuten Group, Inc. with 15% of shares outstanding. Antares Technologies Llc is the second largest shareholder owning 5.2% of common stock, and The Vanguard Group, Inc. holds about 5.0% of the company stock.

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/...stors-account-44-ast-144146002.html
 

Market-Cap of ASTS = $ 6.8 billion

https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/ASTS/
 

Rakuten Symphony Launches Comprehensive Maritime Cybersecurity Service, ?Rakuten Maritime?

Tokyo, December 20, 2024 ? Rakuten Symphony has officially announced its entry into the maritime cybersecurity industry with the launch of Rakuten Maritime, a comprehensive enterprise service addressing the growing demand for cybersecurity and digital transformation in the sector worldwide.


Rakuten Maritime offers industry-leading technologies to safeguard autonomous vessels and smart ships. As global shipping companies and shipowners accelerate the adoption of autonomous technologies and develop smart ships, cyberattacks targeting these vessels have also risen. This trend has made maritime cybersecurity an essential component of the industry.

The unique nature of maritime operations requires security measures tailored to the design, commissioning and operational phases of ships ? differentiating them from traditional land-based systems. Rakuten Maritime addresses these needs with a lifecycle-based cybersecurity framework incorporating five key pillars: Identify, Protect, Detect, Respond and Recover. This comprehensive approach strengthens vessel security and supports safe operational environments.

Collaboration with CYTUR: The birth of Rakuten Maritime

Rakuten Maritime is a branded service developed in collaboration with CYTUR, a South Korean cybersecurity startup. Established in 2016, CYTUR specializes in cybersecurity technologies and threat analysis for smart ships and autonomous vessels.

https://symphony.rakuten.com/newsroom/...ity-service-rakuten-maritime
 

Validation of a business vision once thought impossible

Rakuten Mobile subscribers are also actively contributing to the growth of the Rakuten Ecosystem. Mobile subscribers drive an almost additional 50% gross transaction volume on Japan?s leading online marketplace, Rakuten Ichiba, 27% on Rakuten Card, Japan?s most popular credit card, and 14% on Japan?s top online travel portal, Rakuten Travel, compared to non-subscribers. This performance and a subscriber base that has just passed eight million members are the ultimate validation of a business vision once thought impossible.

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/...e-looks-like-rakuten-symphony-h0omf
 

December 19, 2024

https://cloud.rakuten.com/blogs/...-a-landmark-year-for-rakuten-cloud
 

https://rakutenadvertising.com/de-de/resources/...uperdry-shopping24/
 

Timberland Grows Sales 70% with the Rakuten Advertising Accelerate Programme

https://rakutenadvertising.com/en-uk/resources/case-study-timberland/

 

Rakuten Maritime is your trusted partner in maritime cybersecurity, offering comprehensive and proactive solutions tailored to every stage of a ship?s life cycle. Our services ensure safe sailing from design to operation, providing peace of mind in today?s increasingly digital maritime world.

Rakuten Maritime provides advanced cybersecurity coverage for ship owners and operators, protecting both IT and OT while ensuring readiness for regulatory inspections. Our automated, built-in cybersecurity checkups validate compliance with maritime regulations.

Rakuten Maritime delivers state-of-the-art cybersecurity solutions to protect ports from maritime cyber threats, offering comprehensive visibility and continuous monitoring. Our robust technology ensures ports remain secure and operational, preventing improper docking or loss of control.

https://www.cybersecurityintelligence.com/rakuten-maritime-11339.html
 

?There is huge potential for both Rakuten Symphony and Rakuten Mobile. We are at the forefront of a technology revolution that is actually reshaping the entire telecom industry, - not just in Japan, but globally.? Rakuten Symphony President Sharad Sriwastawa shared insights into his strategic thinking for 2025, and highlighted key efforts to ?mature? the company's 4 business units following the company's high velocity start to life on the global telecom stage. In a conversation with James Dartnell on employee-facing live series Inside Track, Sharad also outlined where he believes Rakuten Symphony holds competitive industry advantages, has developed AI use-cases and opportunities where mobile operators could access Rakuten's wider ecosystem to explore income streams beyond connectivity.

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/...5-activity-7262404447698333696-zWys
 

Die Initiative "Gateway to Fintech" der Rakuten Group wird in die Praxis umgesetzt

Rakuten Payment hat die iPhone-Version der App "Rakuten Pay" ab dem 12. Dezember 2024 um die Funktion "Rakuten Edy Card" erweitert. Das bedeutet, dass Benutzer auf dem iPhone 7 und neueren Geräten in der Lage sein werden, ihre Karten mit einer Kreditkarte zu belasten, ihr Guthaben zu überprüfen und ihren Transaktionsverlauf innerhalb der App zu überprüfen.

Die neue Funktion bietet eine nahtlose Betriebsumgebung, ohne dass die Benutzer die "Rakuten Edy"-App separat herunterladen müssen. Der Service wird schrittweise eingeführt, mit dem Ziel, das bargeldlose Erlebnis der Nutzer zu verbessern.

Der Schritt ist Teil einer gemeinsamen technologischen Transformation von Rakuten Payment und Rakuten Edy, deren weitere Integration für 2025 und darüber hinaus geplant ist.

Die Markteinführung des iPhones ist ein zentraler Bestandteil der Fintech-Strategie der Rakuten Group. Das Unternehmen bietet seit 2020 eine ähnliche Funktion in seiner Android-App "Rakuten Pay" an, und der iPhone-Launch baut auf diesem Erfolg auf.

Rakuten Pay war zwei Jahre in Folge die Nummer eins in Bezug auf Kundenzufriedenheit in der QR-Code-Zahlungsbranche, und die Hinzufügung dieser neuen Funktion kann als eine Maßnahme angesehen werden, die darauf abzielt Verbesserung der Benutzerzufriedenheit. Durch die Integration von Funktionen in die App "Rakuten Edy" wird der Komfort des bargeldlosen Bezahlens weiter gesteigert.

Diese Initiative wird der Rakuten Group als "Tor zu Fintech" dienen. Den Nutzern den Komfort zu bieten, alles mit nur einer App erledigen zu können, wird ein großer Vorteil sein, um das Unternehmen von anderen Unternehmen abzuheben.

https://en-54177.site-translation.com/posts/134635

 

Rakuten Symphony bringt Rakuten Maritime auf den Markt, eine Sicherheitslösung für Schiffe

Am 20. Dezember 2024 gab Rakuten Symphony bekannt, dass es mit der umfassenden globalen Bereitstellung von Rakuten Maritime, einer Cybersicherheitslösung für Schiffe, beginnen wird.

Da autonome Schiffe und andere Schiffe immer ausgefeilter werden, nehmen Cyberangriffe auf Schiffe zu, und es sind Sicherheitsmaßnahmen erforderlich, die auf jede Phase des Lebenszyklus, einschließlich Design, Inbetriebnahme und Betrieb, zugeschnitten sind.

Daher ermöglicht die Lösung Sicherheitsmaßnahmen während des gesamten Lebenszyklus eines Schiffes durch ein Cybersicherheits-Framework, das auf den fünf Säulen Identifizierung, Schutz, Erkennung, Reaktion und Wiederherstellung basiert. Es integriert auch IoT-, Cloud-, Mobilfunknetz- und Zero-Trust-Cybersicherheitstechnologien, um Schiffen eine End-to-End-Lösung vom Design bis zum Betrieb zu bieten.

Laut der Ankündigung wird die Lösung die Anzahl der identifizierten und analysierten Cyberrisiken im Vergleich zu herkömmlichen Schiffssystemen um 400 % verbessern, bisher übersehene Risiken identifizieren und analysieren, die für das Sicherheitsdesign erforderlichen Ressourcen um 83 % reduzieren, die Schiffsbauzeit verkürzen, die Kosten senken und die Sicherheit erhöhen, heißt es in der Ankündigung.

Die Lösung entspricht den Uniform Regulations on Cyber Resilience of Ships (UR E26 / E27), die von der International Association of Classification Societies (IACS) festgelegt wurden und auf den Schutz der Schiffssicherheit und der Meeresumwelt abzielen. Es wird durch eine Partnerschaft zwischen CYTUR Inc., einem koreanischen Cybersicherheits-Startup, das sich auf Schiffe spezialisiert hat, und Rakuten Symphony bereitgestellt.

https://businessnetwork.jp/article/24984/
 

40% of Q3 Rakuten Group?s 9.3% YoY revenue increase

In Q3 2024, Rakuten Mobile drove 40% of Q3 Rakuten Group?s 9.3% YoY revenue increase, boosting growth across the company. This is the direct result of an ecosystem-based approach that put connectivity at the heart of the broader Rakuten ecosystem of internet services.            
 
Membership becomes sticky as benefits stack for the consumer across the ecosystem, where new members are motivated to use other services like Rakuten Ichiba, Rakuten Card and Rakuten Bank, among others.

Let?s break down some of the key data points:

Rakuten Mobile subscribers spend 47.9% more on Rakuten Ichiba and use the online marketplace 40.1% more compared to non-subscribers, showcasing the effectiveness of the ecosystem in driving additional value.

Rakuten Mobile subscribers use an average of 2.45 more services (including Rakuten Mobile) compared to non-subscribers, demonstrating that integrating into the ecosystem drives increased usage and loyalty.

After two years, Rakuten Mobile subscribers use an average of 3.25 services within the ecosystem, compared to just 1.25 services used initially.

There was a 13.5% increase in spending on Rakuten Travel and 26.8% increase in shopping GTV on Rakuten Card by Rakuten Mobile subscribers versus non-subscribers.

Today, Rakuten Mobile subscribers use more of Rakuten?s other services versus non-subscribers.

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/...e-looks-like-rakuten-symphony-h0omf
 

Viber Plus Grants Loyal Users' Wishes for More Features

December 13, 2024

Rakuten Viber is now offering even more to users of its communications app through a new premium subscription service called Viber Plus with exclusive extra features. These features, including handy AI-powered capabilities like converting voice notes into text and novel solutions like "invisible mode," which allows privacy-conscious users to hide their online status, were selected as a direct response to feedback from Viber's loyal users.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VN2i7Y7eElc&t=48s
 

Rakuten Advertising and OUAI: Multichannel growth defined

https://rakutenadvertising.com/resources/case-study-ouai/
 

Published by Statista Research Department, Apr 16, 2024

As of March 2024, the number of bank accounts at Rakuten Bank, Ltd. reached 15.24 million. Rakuten Bank was the first online bank in Japan to surpass 10 million accounts. Since 2015, the number of bank accounts has more than tripled.

https://www.statista.com/statistics/1230750/...mber-of-bank-accounts/

Rakuten Bank Surpasses 16 Million Customer Accounts Tokyo, July 29, 2024 - Rakuten Bank, Ltd. today announced that it has surpassed 16 million customer accounts as of July 29, 2024 .

https://www.rakuten-bank.co.jp/english/press/2024/240730.pdf

 

Most important numbers in Q3/2024:

Non-GAAP operating income = 12.3 billion yen = 49.2 billion yen on a yearly base ($ 310 million)

EBITDA = 92.2 billion yen = 368.8 billion yen on a yearly base ($ 2.32 billion)

?The Rakuten Group recorded Non-GAAP operating income in Q3 FY2024 of 12.3 billion yen, due largely to increased revenue and cost optimization at Rakuten Mobile and a substantial increase in profits at Rakuten Card. The Group achieved quarterly Non-GAAP operating income profitability for the first time in five years, following significant upfront capital investments to build out its Mobile Network Operator (MNO) business starting in Q3 FY2019. EBITDA for the quarter was profitable, recording 92.2 billion yen in a significant increase of 159.1% YoY.?

https://global.rakuten.com/corp/news/press/2024/...tegory=corp%2520ir
 

Congratulations to the 2024 Fierce Network Innovation Awards Winners!

https://awards.fierce-network.com/awardsfiercenetwork/2024-winners
 

Questex's Fierce Network Announces the 2024 Fierce Network Innovation Awards Winners

NEW YORK, Dec. 19, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE

The Fierce Network Innovation Awards honor groundbreaking companies, technologies, and individuals that are revolutionizing the communications industry. These innovations demonstrate exceptional potential to drive cost savings, enhance customer engagement, and transform network capabilities.

The 2024 Fierce Network Innovation Awards Winners

AI = AI Empowered Receiver Design for 6G Wireless Communications: InterDigital

Analytics/Automation = Rakuten AI for Telecom: Rakuten Symphony

Business Services = MetTel SD-WAN: MetTe

BSS/OSS = Rakuten Symphony OSS Product Suite: Rakuten Symphony

Cloud Networking (Public, Private or Hybrid) = Rakuten Cloud: Rakuten Symphony

Cloud Data Center = Nokia Event-Driven Automation (EDA): Nokia

Customer Engagement: TNS Enterprise Branded Calling: Transaction Network Services

Digital Divide = Aqualinq: Aqualinq

IoT = CDM - Cognitive Digital Mine: Nokia

Network Test and Measurement = RADCOM Virtual Drive Test: RADCOM

Next-Gen Deployment Fiber/Wireline = Aqualinq: Aqualinq

Security = SingVerify and Enterprise Mobile Protect: Singtel

Sustainability = The Ocient Hyperscale Data Warehouse: Ocient

Top Changemaker = Rahul Atri, Managing Director, Rakuten Symphony India and President, OSS BU, Rakuten Symphony

Wireless - Fixed Wireless = Redefining Retirement Living Through 5G mmWave FWA Connectivity: Airspan Networks

Wireless - Mobile Evolution = Intrado Locate Before Route (LBR): Intrado

Wireless - Private Wireless Networks = Celona 5G LAN: Celona

Wireless - Wireless RAN = Opportunity for 50% greater spectral capacity using Cohere's Universal Spectrum Multiplier Software xApp to relieve Congested Low & Mid Band FDD spectrum during O-RAN base station update: Cohere Technologies and Vodafone

https://www.manilatimes.net/2024/12/20/...tion-awards-winners/2025376
 

https://mobile-contract-guide.com/en/.../japan-mobile-2024-updates-en

 

Inside Track Live: On Set with Puneet Handa

December 04, 2024

In Episode 6 of Inside Track, Puneet Handa, Head of Business Strategy and Portfolio at Rakuten Symphony sits down with James Dartnell, Director, Corporate Communications, EMEA, to discuss how Rakuten Symphony is equipped to help mobile networks solve the telecom industries biggest challenges. In this special, in-person interview, James and Puneet also discuss what the telecom industry can expect in the coming years and what kinds of technologies will define the future of technology.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oaQlyJFpt38
 

Short-term projections have been revised downward, while the long-term outlook remains unchanged. Open RAN is now projected to comprise a mid-single-digit share of the 2024 RAN market and 8 to 10 % of the combined proprietary plus Open RAN 2025 revenues.

https://www.delloro.com/open-ran-tanks-in-2024/  

Subscriber analytics data shows that this increase in win share for Rakuten Mobile comes from all competitor segments in the market. Opensignal has analysed the win composition for Rakuten Mobile ? which reflects the percentage share of total new subscribers acquired by the operator that came from other competing operators.

Initially, more than half of Rakuten Mobile?s wins were switchers coming from Japan?s MNOs, with a smaller share from MVNOs and sub-brands. Rakuten Mobile?s disruptive pricing was, at one point, a differentiating factor in the market, but the other MNOs have since released new plans that offer similar levels of value. As Rakuten Mobile?s win share grows, partially driven by its step up in Consistent Quality and partially by its new offers it is winning more from all operator types. However, sub-brands and MVNOs are making up a growing portion of Rakuten Mobile?s total wins, with switchers from the two categories accounting for more than half of its wins in recent months.

https://www.opensignal.com/2024/11/27/...ng-of-2024-due-to-5g-network
 

Rakuten and Yamazawa have agreed to open a "Rakuten nationwide supermarket" in the Tohoku area food supermarket "Yamazawa".

Dec 1, 2024

'Rakuten National Supermarket' is a platform that provides order management and online payment functions to supermarket operators across the country. Rakuten will comprehensively support operators in starting and operating their online supermarket businesses and reservation commodities etf acceptance sites, including attracting customers, promotional activities, and building delivery operations.

Yamazawa was founded in 1952 and currently operates 70 supermarkets (note 3) mainly in Yamagata, Miyagi, and Akita prefectures. In recent years, in response to changing customer needs, they have strengthened data marketing and promotional measures, and from March 2024, they will introduce the common point service 'Rakuten Point Card' operated by Rakuten Payment Inc. and the IC electronic money 'Rakuten Edy' in all supermarkets operated by 'Yamazawa'. By opening stores in 'Rakuten National Supermarket', they aim to provide even more convenient services to local customers by accepting reservations for event commodities etf online.

https://www.moomoo.com/news/post/46548539/..._ticket=1735814048151448
 

Reading is very popular in the United States. In the first ten months of 2024, digital audiobook sales were up 26.1% yearly, reaching $883.4 million in revenue. On the other hand,  e-book revenues were up 2.9% to $861.9 million compared to the same period in 2024. Amazon is the most significant player in the US and globally. Rakuten Kobo is a close second. These companies sell audiobooks and e-books on the device and have their subscription-based platform.

The vast majority of people continue to read on their phones. Over 85% of adults in the United States report reading more on their mobile devices than on traditional print media. I know many others who read on their iPads since the screen is more significant and all the images look better because of the bright and vibrant colors. Color E INK technology still has some work to be done to look as good as smartphones/tablets.

However, e-readers are primarily aimed at serious readers. Unlike the iPhone or Android devices that can?t buy audiobooks or e-books within the Kindle or Nook app anymore, you can buy all of this content on e-readers, even in your pajamas.  E-readers are also far more affordable than smartphones; you can buy a good one, with all the bells and whistles, for under $300 and a solid e-reader for under $200. The latest iPhone 16 Pro costs over $1600, and a top-of-the-line iPad costs $1900. Buying a dedicated book reader makes sense.

https://goodereader.com/blog/electronic-readers/...-e-readers-in-2025
 

In the context of today?s 5G and enterprise edge deployments, where complexity is the norm and the stakes are high, the relevance of cloud middleware and PaaS solutions like Rakuten Cloud cannot be overstated. The journey ahead demands innovation, adaptability, and a relentless pursuit of efficiency. It is challenging, but with the right tools and strategies, it is a journey we can navigate successfully. This is why, in future, solutions like Rakuten Cloud will not just be an option; they will become imperative for telecom operators to thrive in an increasingly complex and dynamic environment.

https://www.cloud-awards.com/...om-automation-orchestration-platforms