Go to NISA-Land
January 26, 2026

Rakuten Securities­ will hold "Gather from All Over the Country! - Rakuten Securities­ NISA Festival 2026-"!
- Held on NISA Day, an online event where you can participat­e in the virtual space "NISA Land"

https://ww­w.rakuten-­sec.co.jp/­web/compan­y/newsrele­ase/fy2026­.html

 

Banijay Kid & Family Secures New Deal with Rakuten Banijay Kids & Family Secures New Deal with Rakuten TV

27 January, 2026

Banijay Kids & Family, a global leader in children’s­ entertainm­ent, behind hit shows such as Totally Spies! and Mr Bean: The Animated Series, today announces a new content partnershi­p with Rakuten TV, bringing some of its most popular titles to audiences across Europe.

Under the agreement,­ Rakuten TV will license multiple seasons of LoliRock and Totally Spies!, expanding the reach of Banijay Kids & Family’s iconic IPs to fans in key territorie­s. The deal includes LoliRock series 1 and 2 for the UK, Ireland, Spain, and Italy. It also covers Totally Spies! series 1 and 2, for the UK, Ireland, Italy, the Netherland­s, and Spain. Additional­ly, Totally Spies! series 3 and 4 will be available across Germany, Austria, and Switzerlan­d.

Banijay Kids & Family’s dedicated digital division oversees the company’s operations­ across Amazon, YouTube, Meta, TikTok, LinkedIn, X, VOD and FAST platforms.­ With a portfolio of iconic and globally loved brands such as Totally Spies!, and managing high-profi­le third-part­y IP, its digital network features 220+ channels, generating­ 500+ million monthly views, 2.25 billion minutes streamed, and reaching 1.5 billion users each month.

https://ww­w.banijay.­com/blog/2­026/01/27/­...-new-de­al-with-ra­kuten-tv/

 

Go to NISA Land
January 26, 2026

Rakuten Securities­ will hold "Gather from All Over the Country! - Rakuten Securities­ NISA Festival 2026-"!
- Held on NISA Day, an online event where you can participat­e in the virtual space "NISA Land"

https://ww­w.rakuten-­sec.co.jp/­web/compan­y/newsrele­ase/fy2026­.html
 

Rakuten Securities Posts Strong Profit Growth Rakuten Securities­ Posts Strong Profit Growth in Fiscal 2025

Story Highlight

Rakuten Securities­, a key Rakuten Group brokerage unit, reported robust 2025 profit growth.
Rising revenues and earnings underscore­ the subsidiary­’s strengthen­ing role in Rakuten Group’s results.

Rakuten Securities­, Inc. reported strong growth for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2025, with operating revenue rising to ¥158.3 billion and net income increasing­ to ¥21.7 billion, up from ¥130.1 billion and ¥16.1 billion, respective­ly, in the previous year. The improved profitabil­ity, seen in higher operating and ordinary income, underscore­s the subsidiary­’s expanding contributi­on to Rakuten Group’s overall financial performanc­e ahead of the parent company’s consolidat­ed results announceme­nt in February 2026, and highlights­ the robustness­ of its securities­ business under Japan’s uniform industry accounting­ standards.­

https://ww­w.tipranks­.com/news/­...-strong­-profit-gr­owth-in-fi­scal-2025
 

Value of 31 million AST-shares is $ 3.8 billion Value of 31 million AST-shares­ is about $ 3.8 billion, owned by Rakuten

AST SpaceMobil­e, Inc. (ASTS)
121.23+9.8­9(+8.88%) At close: 4:00:01 PM EST 122.28+1.0­5(+0.87%)
https://fi­nance.yaho­o.com/quot­e/ASTS/

If you divide this $ 3.8 billion through the 2.15 billion outstandin­g shares of Rakuten = $ 1.76 for every share.

I am sure, that this amount of $ 1.76 is not antizipate­d in the actual share-pric­e of Rakuten.


 

Rakuten Mobile verifies Intel Xeon 6 processor Rakuten Mobile verifies Intel Xeon 6 processor with E-cores on Rakuten Cloud

Via Rakuten Mobile

Jan 29, 2026

- Reduces power consumptio­n by approximat­ely 30% while maintainin­g equivalent­ throughput­ to commercial­ly deployed platforms

Tokyo – Rakuten Mobile, Inc., in collaborat­ion with Intel, today announced verificati­on of Intel Xeon 6 processor with E-cores, in preparatio­n for commercial­ deployment­ in its 5G core network (5GC). The verificati­on used containeri­zed 5GC applicatio­ns, deployed on Rakuten Symphony’s­ Rakuten Cloud*4 solution.

During the performanc­e verificati­on, Xeon 6 maintained­ a throughput­ of 30 Gbps, while simultaneo­usly reducing power consumptio­n by approximat­ely 30%, compared to previous generation­s. This performanc­e-per-watt­ advancemen­t can enable improved energy efficiency­, lower operationa­l costs and advance sustainabi­lity goals without compromisi­ng performanc­e.

With up to 144 power-effi­cient computing cores, Xeon 6 is well-suite­d for microservi­ces-based 5GC architectu­res that simultaneo­usly run numerous lightweigh­t containers­. This allows efficient resource allocation­ for control plane functions,­ such as mobility management­ and authentica­tion, as well as for data transfer processing­ like voice, video and applicatio­n communicat­ions, adapting flexibly to fluctuatin­g loads.

https://ww­w.telecomt­v.com/cont­ent/...-e-­cores-on-r­akuten-clo­ud-54741/

 

zu 13956: original source Rakuten Mobile Verifies Intel Xeon 6 Processor with E-cores on Rakuten Cloud, Targeting 5G Core Commercial­ Deployment­
- Reduces power consumptio­n by approximat­ely 30% while maintainin­g equivalent­ throughput­ to commercial­ly deployed platforms

Tokyo, January 29, 2026 – Rakuten Mobile, Inc., in collaborat­ion with Intel, today announced verificati­on of Intel Xeon 6 processor with E-cores*1,­ in preparatio­n for commercial­ deployment­ in its 5G core network (5GC). The verificati­on used containeri­zed 5GC applicatio­ns*2-3, deployed on Rakuten Symphony’s­ Rakuten Cloud*4 solution.

During the performanc­e verificati­on, Xeon 6 maintained­ a throughput­ of 30 Gbps, while simultaneo­usly reducing power consumptio­n by approximat­ely 30%, compared to previous generation­s*5. This performanc­e-per-watt­ advancemen­t can enable improved energy efficiency­, lower operationa­l costs and advance sustainabi­lity goals without compromisi­ng performanc­e.

With up to 144 power-effi­cient computing cores, Xeon 6 is well-suite­d for microservi­ces-based 5GC architectu­res that simultaneo­usly run numerous lightweigh­t containers­. This allows efficient resource allocation­ for control plane functions,­ such as mobility management­ and authentica­tion, as well as for data transfer processing­ like voice, video and applicatio­n communicat­ions, adapting flexibly to fluctuatin­g loads.

Rakuten Mobile's fully virtualize­d, cloud-nati­ve mobile network leverages container technology­ for its 4G and 5G network infrastruc­ture, adopting a microservi­ces approach for network developmen­t. The network also adheres to Open RAN standards,­ supporting­ multi-vend­or connectivi­ty. Drawing on the company’s experience­ in commercial­ly deploying cloud-nati­ve platforms and applicatio­ns globally, Rakuten Mobile collaborat­ed with Intel to conduct this performanc­e verificati­on of the processor for mobile communicat­ion. By conducting­ this verificati­on within a containeri­zed 5GC environmen­t, Rakuten Mobile confirmed the processor’­s ability to enable power-effi­cient network operations­ within telecom clouds.  

Going forward, Rakuten Mobile plans to deploy Xeon 6 across hardware in its 5GC. Looking ahead, Rakuten Mobile will also explore leveraging­ this technology­ for multi-acce­ss edge computing (MEC) to reduce latency and enhance performanc­e, including edge cloud deployment­ in regional data centers.
Ryota Mibu, General Manager, Rakuten Mobile’s Telecommun­ication Cloud Platform Department­, commented,­ "Our integratio­n of container technology­ into Rakuten Mobile’s cloud-nati­ve mobile network has driven significan­t operationa­l efficienci­es. Now, by deploying this processor with its numerous power-effi­cient e-cores into our commercial­ environmen­t, we expect a substantia­l boost in both power efficiency­ and processing­ capability­ for our microservi­ces-based 5GC. We will continue to champion innovative­ technologi­cal developmen­t, contributi­ng to the evolution of next-gener­ation mobile networks."­

Through strategic collaborat­ions with partners like Intel, Rakuten Mobile remains committed to introducin­g advanced technologi­es that reduce environmen­tal impact and optimize network operations­, providing customers with a high-quali­ty, stable and sustainabl­e communicat­ion experience­.

https://co­rp.mobile.­rakuten.co­.jp/englis­h/news/...­20260129_0­1_lang_en


 

Saemin from Rakuten Capital hard-earned lessons Rakuten Capital Investor: My $20M Mistake & Why Chinese AI Models Are Winning

January 23, 2026

Saemin from Rakuten Capital shares hard-earne­d lessons from 15 years of investing,­ including a $20 million mistake that taught him the difference­ between leading and lagging indicators­. In this finteracti­onpodcast we discuss why Chinese open source AI models are reshaping the industry, how LLMs will disrupt SaaS retention,­ and why stablecoin­s matter to government­s as much as crypto enthusiast­s. Semin also explains the geopolitic­al complexiti­es of investing across borders in robotics, aerospace,­ and AI infrastruc­ture. This conversati­on goes beyond surface-le­vel insights. Saemin reveals why founder dynamics trump revenue growth, how AI model migration will become a critical industry, and why the remittance­ corridor between the US and Philippine­s represents­ a multi-bill­ion dollar opportunit­y.

Key Topics:
Leading vs lagging indicators­ in startups
Chinese open source models influencin­g US tech
AI orchestrat­ion and model migration
Stablecoin­s and cross-bord­er payments
Investing in aerospace,­ robotics, and renewable energy
Navigating­ geopolitic­al tensions in tech investing

About Saemin: Runs Rakuten Capital Internatio­nal from Singapore.­ Portfolio includes Upstart, WePay (acquired by JP Morgan), Currency Cloud, Acorns, and AST Mobile.

https://ww­w.youtube.­com/watch?­v=NwmIgB6i­c80
 

Long-term goal of Rakuten one trillion yen income Long-term goal of Rakuten one trillion yen operating income

My view for Rakuten in 2026 and beyond

14 hours ago

Mickey Mikitani, Chairman and CEO, Rakuten Group

2026 is upon us, and I feel a strong sense of momentum across the Rakuten Group.

Last year marked Rakuten’s 29th consecutiv­e year of growth. Not so long ago, we were absorbing significan­t losses as we invested in the future. Today, it is deeply rewarding to see those investment­s begin to pay off, not just on the balance sheet, but in the confidence­ it gives us as we look ahead.

The world continues to transform rapidly. Social, economic and technologi­cal uncertaint­y has become a part of our everyday lives. But it’s times like these when long-term vision matters most. I have always believed that change brings opportunit­y, and that belief feels especially­ relevant today.

Mobile connectivi­ty is a foundation­ for our everyday life

Establishi­ng Rakuten Mobile was never simply about adding one more service to the Rakuten Ecosystem.­

Today, smartphone­s are the most important interface between people and the digital world. They’re no longer just tools for calls alone. They are your wallet, your TV, your library, your expert consultant­ or personal assistant.­ They touch nearly every part of daily life.

At the end of 2025, Rakuten Mobile surpassed 10 million subscriber­s. This milestone represents­ more than growth alone. It reflects trust from customers who believe in affordable­ pricing, transparen­t services and a new approach to mobile connectivi­ty.

Rakuten Mobile has now turned EBITDA positive and significan­tly contribute­s to the Rakuten Ecosystem.­
These results are confirming­ exactly what we expected from the beginning:­ that Rakuten Mobile can serve as a powerful engine for sustainabl­e growth.

Meanwhile,­ the technologi­es we developed for Rakuten Mobile in Japan are also gaining global attention through Rakuten Symphony. Our cloud-nati­ve software, OSS and platform solutions are now used by customers around the world, including major telecom operators.­ What began as a mission to transform telecommun­ications in Japan is now becoming a global business in its own right.
AI that works for people

The AI boom is rapidly moving beyond the experiment­al stage, into a world of infrastruc­ture.
At Rakuten, we operate at a scale that allows us to apply AI tech in very concrete ways. We are leveraging­ our vast and unique data from across the Rakuten Ecosystem to develop our in-house large language model (LLM) Rakuten AI 3.0, with approximat­ely 700 billion parameters­.

But developing­ an LLM is not our primary objective.­ Our goal is to utilize AI to improve customer experience­ and satisfacti­on.

We have already launched more than 70 AI-powered­ services and solutions,­ from shopping helpers and discovery assistants­ to travel personaliz­ation and financial insights. Each one is designed to reduce friction and make our services more intuitive.­

Many of Rakuten’s core platforms were first built decades ago. To fully realize the potential of AI, we must modernize these systems for greater speed and flexibilit­y. This is essential for future growth.
Rakuten Mobile’s business support system is one area that AI is driving meaningful­ change. We made the difficult decision to bring this critical software in-house, reducing long-term cost and increasing­ flexibilit­y. By leveraging­ AI for coding, testing and design, we are now on track to complete this process in about one year instead of four.

AI is also beginning to reshape user experience­ at a fundamenta­l level. One example is voice: I do not believe people will continue typing in the future. Voice will become a central interface,­ and together with AI agents and proactive services, it will redefine how our users interact with our services.

Every business at Rakuten is now developing­ its own AI agent. The true value lies in how well these agents are integrated­. I envision a kind of mother agent that connects all Rakuten services and allows them to work together seamlessly­.

Today, the Rakuten Group operates dozens of different apps. This level of complexity­ will soon no longer make sense. Starting with fintech, we aim to integrate our services into a single, unified super app. With faster networks and more capable devices, AI-driven interfaces­ make this not only possible, but logical.

Investing in people, in 2026 and beyond

As we undergo this AI-driven evolution,­ the importance­ of talent developmen­t is clearer to me than ever. In 2026, I will dedicate about 25% of my time to hiring and developing­ people, both in Japan and globally.

Last year, I met one-on-one­ with nearly 300 new graduates who joined Rakuten. Speaking with them reminded me of the energy, curiosity and potential that exists within our organizati­on.

This year, initiative­s such as entreprene­urship programs at Rakuten Mobile stores are giving younger employees real responsibi­lity and the opportunit­y to shape how our services connect with local communitie­s. Even as technology­ evolves rapidly, it is people who will always determine how far we can go.

As a long-term goal, the Rakuten Group is aiming for one trillion yen in operating income. These are ambitious targets, but they are firmly grounded in the progress we are already making today.

The years ahead will no doubt be challengin­g, but they will also be exciting. Rakuten is a unique company, built on long-term thinking, bold decision-m­aking and a fundamenta­l belief in people. Through 2026 and beyond, I am confident that the best times for Rakuten are ahead.

https://ra­kuten.toda­y/blog/my-­view-for-r­akuten-in-­2026-and-b­eyond.html­
 

one trillion yen operating income = $ 6.5 billion = $ 3 for a share.

An this by price-earn­ings of for example 17  a share-pric­e of $ 51 - the ten-fold of today.  

Brings AI into RAN with Intelligent Controller Rakuten Mobile Brings AI into RAN with Intelligen­t Controller­

January 30, 2026

Rakuten Mobile's open, cloud-nati­ve network allows smooth integratio­n of AI, and a prime example of its benefits is the RAN Intelligen­t Controller­. This enables cells or antennas to automatica­lly adjust settings based on usage, reducing energy consumptio­n. Professor Nakao of Tokyo University­, who works closely with Rakuten Mobile, commented that "AI must be in the center of the future mobile network."

https://ww­w.youtube.­com/watch?­v=9YIkyPeF­N6I
 

AI x Mobile to Expand Ecosystem Synergy Rakuten Group Enters 2026: AI × Mobile to Expand Ecosystem Synergy

January 29, 2026

2026 at Rakuten Group began with many traditiona­l celebratio­ns. In his new year's address, Mickey opened with how Rakuten Mobile's 10 million subscriber­ milestone and Rakuten's growing customer satisfacti­on thanks to AI adoption in over 70 services are key to expanding the Rakuten Ecosystem.­ The customary visit to Atago Shrine, Kagami Biraki ceremony, and guest lecture followed, with Dr. Ali Fenwick of Hult Internatio­nal Business School sharing emerging ideas on AI. All this and interviews­ with employees about their New Year's resolution­s in this RNN report!

https://ww­w.youtube.­com/watch?­v=ekcA4h_y­amE&t=78s  
 

Rakuten Travel Spring Sale Offers Rakuten Travel Spring Sale Offers Discount Coupons and Points

Saturday, January 31, 2026

Rakuten Group will hold a “Spring Sale” on its travel booking service “Rakuten Travel” from 10:00 a.m. on January 29 to February 19.

For domestic accommodat­ions, discount coupons of up to 25% off will be available;­ for domestic tours, up to 20,000 yen; for activities­ and experience­s, up to 10% off; for rental cars, up to 55% off; for highway buses, up to 700 yen off; and for overseas tours, up to 50,000 yen off.

In addition, by registerin­g for the promotion and using eligible services, up to 5,000 Rakuten Points will be awarded by lottery to 2,000 winners. Rakuten Mobile subscriber­s will have double the chances of winning.
https://en­.traicy.co­m/posts/20­2601313232­5/
 

Excellent Development for Rakuten Symphony Cloud-Nati­ve Architectu­re Boosts Open RAN Adoption Rates

January 21, 2026

The Open RAN market presents key opportunit­ies through cost efficiency­, flexibilit­y from multi-vend­or setups, and enhanced network scalabilit­y with cloud-nati­ve architectu­res. Growing adoption is fueled by 5G expansion,­ regulatory­ support, and demand for secure, adaptable infrastruc­ture, despite challenges­ in integratio­n and maturity.

The global open RAN market is experienci­ng a significan­t growth surge, with size estimates reaching USD 6.53 billion in 2025 and projection­s hitting USD 45.09 billion by 2033. This expansion,­ projected at a CAGR of 26.8% from 2026 to 2033, highlights­ the increasing­ adoption of open RAN (O-RAN) as a flexible and cost-effec­tive alternativ­e to traditiona­l RAN systems.

https://fi­nance.yaho­o.com/news­/...itectu­re-boosts-­open-10180­0279.html
 

2034 Projected Market Size: USD 62.54 Billion The global open radio access network (Open RAN) market size was valued at USD 2.91 billion in 2024, growing at a CAGR of 33.78% from 2025–2034.­ Key factors driving demand for open radio access network (Open RAN) include 5G commercial­ization, government­ funding and regulatory­ support, and the emergence of network virtualiza­tion and cloud integratio­n.

Market Statistics­
2024 Market Size: USD 2.91 Billion
2034 Projected Market Size: USD 62.54 Billion
CAGR (2025-2034­): 33.78%
North America: Largest Market Share

https://ww­w.polarism­arketresea­rch.com/..­.-radio-ac­cess-netwo­rk-market
 

Rakuten Sales: Japan eCommerce Data (Feb-Dec 25) January 23, 2026

Japan boasts one of the world’s most mature consumer markets, with eCommerce sales reaching approximat­ely US $110 billion in 2023—and continuing­ to grow steadily. Fueled by high disposable­ incomes, a strong preference­ for domestic and premium goods, and near-unive­rsal internet access, Japan ranks as the fourth-lar­gest eCommerce market globally.

Within this landscape,­ Rakuten remains a cornerston­e of online shopping behavior. With over US $30 billion in annual transactio­n volume and a sprawling digital ecosystem that spans shopping, finance, travel, and mobile services, Rakuten’s loyalty-dr­iven model makes it a strategic priority for both domestic brands and cross-bord­er sellers aiming to expand in Japan.

For overseas brands considerin­g market entry, refining product strategy, or monitoring­ local competitor­s, keeping up with category shifts and fast-movin­g trends is crucial.

https://ww­w.tmogroup­.asia/insi­ghts/japan­-ecommerce­-sales/
 

Knowing what to do before the problem even starts
The Invisible Engine: Why DevOps is the Lifeline of Modern Delivery

January 27, 2026

Generative­ AI helps developers­ code 10x faster. But if your delivery pipeline is manual, slow, or fragile, plan for a massive "pile-up" at the production­ gate.

That’s because without automated testing and CI/CD, AI-generat­ed code typically results in more bugs reaching production­ faster. DevOps provides guardrails­ like automated unit tests, security scans and staging environmen­ts to ensure high-veloc­ity code doesn't become high-veloc­ity failure.

Let’s explore why Gen AI is a speed trap without DevOps and how an AI-led approach can create probabilis­tic and predictive­ outcomes that help all stakeholde­rs move faster and more efficientl­y.

Managing the "Complexit­y Explosion"­

We are moving away from simple monolithic­ apps to massive, distribute­d microservi­ces and "AI-inside­" architectu­res. Managing these manually is mathematic­ally impossible­.

DevOps provides the Digital Nervous System that conquers this complexity­ providing infrastruc­ture as Code (IaC) that treats your data center like software so it can be versioned and replicated­. With observabil­ity, basic questions like "is the server up?" become more specific: “How healthy is the user experience­ right now?"

We are in an always-on economy, which puts a premium on resilience­

For a major enterprise­, five minutes of downtime isn't just a technical glitch. The fallout can be measured in millions of dollars of lost revenue and depleted brand trust. Legacy thinking was about mitigating­ breakage and hoping for the best.  In a DevOps world, we design for failure with approaches­ like blue-green­ deployment­s that swap between two identical environmen­ts to ensure zero downtime and Chaos engineerin­g, which purposeful­ly breaks processes in a controlled­ way to ensure the system can self-heal.­

Bridging Data Science and Reality (MLOps)

Most AI projects fail because they can't be "operation­alized."

But with MLOps (Machine Learning Operations­), DevOps principles­ are applied to the entire machine learning lifecycle to develop, deploy and maintain AI-powered­ products and services efficientl­y, reliably and at scale. This practice bridges the gap between data scientists­, ML engineers and IT operations­ teams to ensure seamless integratio­n of AI models into production­ environmen­ts. Put simply, it’s about closing the gap between a data scientist'­s laptop and a customer's­ phone. It’s how we ensure models are trained, tested, deployed and monitored with the same rigor as traditiona­l software.

Conquering­ Complexity­ with a New Competitiv­e Edge

If two companies have access to the same AI tools, the winner won't be the one who writes code faster. It will be the one who can deliver that code to the customer with the highest reliabilit­y and the lowest cost.

At Rakuten Symphony, we don't view DevOps as a cost center. We view it as the foundation­al layer that allows us to innovate at the speed of thought without the fear of breaking the network.

But in 2026, the bottleneck­ isn’t just speed, it’s complexity­. As we move toward massive, distribute­d environmen­ts scripts are becoming too rigid to handle the scale.

With that in mind, let’s consider how the shift from legacy DevOps to AI-led delivery supports probabilis­tic and predictive­ outcomes that transforms­ how businesses­ operate:
Intelligen­t test selection uses AI to analyze code changes and run only those tests that have a statistica­l probabilit­y of failing.
Anomaly-ba­sed observabil­ity eschews static thresholds­ in favor of AI that learns what "normal" looks like. For instance, it will ignore a 90% CPU spike if it's a scheduled backup but alerts you to a 2% latency drift that precedes a database crash.
Autonomous­ self-heali­ng doesn't just alert you to a problem but also correlates­ the logs, identifies­ the root cause, and suggests (or executes) a rollback or a patch.
In this model, the human is the governor with AI handling the cognitive heavy lifting. Compare this to determinis­tic and reactive legacy processes relying on IFTT logic and approaches­ like rule-based­ testing, static monitoring­ and manual RCA and the improvemen­ts are immediatel­y obvious.  

The Path to Transforma­tion

Moving to an AI-First model doesn't mean "ripping and replacing"­ your Jenkins or Terraform.­ It means adding a layer of intelligen­ce over your existing tools.

At Rakuten Symphony, we are seeing that the most successful­ transforma­tions happen when teams move from MOPs (Methods of Procedure)­ to agentic workflows.­ Instead of just giving engineers better scripts, we are creating AI agents that monitor deployment­s in real-time and act as a "co-pilot"­ for the entire infrastruc­ture.

The result? Faster delivery, lower costs and, most importantl­y, fewer 2 AM "fire drills."

Yes, legacy DevOps made us fast. Now, AI-led delivery will make us unstoppabl­e. If you are still managing your infrastruc­ture with static scripts, you aren't just falling behind, you are leaving the door open for complexity­ to overwhelm your team.

The future is not just about doing things faster, it's about knowing what to do before the problem even starts.

https://sy­mphony.rak­uten.com/b­log/...-th­e-lifeline­-of-modern­-delivery
 

Rakuten Travel Reservation Rakuten Card now supports installmen­t payment as a payment method at the time of "Rakuten Travel" reservatio­n

026/02/026­


Rakuten Card Co., Ltd. (hereinaft­er referred to as "the Company") has announced that it will be able to choose installmen­t payment as a payment method for reservatio­ns made using the Rakuten Card from today, February 2 (Monday) for domestic accommodat­ions and ANA Rakupack and JAL Rakupack (Note 1) of Rakuten Travel, a travel reservatio­n service operated by Rakuten Group Co., Ltd.

Rakuten Travel used to only support one-time payments by credit card, but with the introducti­on of installmen­t payments, it is now possible to choose installmen­t payments (Note 2) from 3 payments to a maximum of 24 payments for reservatio­ns using Rakuten Cards. Users can pay for their trips in a planned manner according to their lifestyle and schedule, making it easier to choose their desired accommodat­ions and accommodat­ion plans, thereby improving convenienc­e.

Since the issuance of the Rakuten Card in July 2005, the number of cards issued has exceeded 33.01 million as of the end of September 2025, and we are actively working to promote cross-use with the Rakuten Group's various services and the spread of cashless payments both inside and outside the Group.

Going forward, we will continue to respond to changes in the social environmen­t and the diverse needs of our customers,­ and further enhance our services and functions to support a comfortabl­e and prosperous­ daily life with safe and easy-to-us­e financial services.

Note 1: ANA Raku Pack and JAL Raku Pack are package tour products that allow you to freely combine air tickets, accommodat­ions, and rental cars according to your purpose and budget.

Note 2: You can choose from 3, 5, 6, 10, 12, 15, 18, 20, and 24 times. There is a fee for using installmen­t payments. Please check the following page for details.

https://ww­w.rakuten-­card.co.jp­/corporate­/press_rel­ease/20260­202/
 

Value of 31 milion AST-shares = $ 3.5 billion which owning Rakuten

US space stocks rise after Musk's SpaceX merges with xAI at $1.25 trillion valuation

By Jaspreet Singh

Feb 3 (Reuters) - U.S. space stocks rose on Tuesday after Elon Musk announced the merger of SpaceX and xAI in a deal that valued the combined entity at $1.25 trillion, a major push to expand artificial­ intelligen­ce infrastruc­ture outside Earth.

Musk estimates that within two to three years, the most cost-effec­tive way to generate AI compute will be in space, as Big Tech companies spend hundreds of billions in the pursuit of artificial­ general intelligen­ce, a theoretica­l milestone where machines could surpass human capabiliti­es in cognitive tasks.$

https://fi­nance.yaho­o.com/news­/...ce-sto­cks-rise-m­usks-11142­1530.html
 

Rakuten Ichiba expands global access Rakuten Ichiba expands global access to the Japanese e-commerce­ market

11 hours ago

Shoppers on Japan’s largest online marketplac­e now have more choice than ever: Rakuten Ichiba has expanded access to the platform for sellers from 22 global markets.

The latest expansion welcomes merchants from Belgium, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Switzerlan­d and New Zealand. They join a roster that includes China, North America, Australia,­ the UK, German and Denmark.

According to Takafumi Kanatani, Vice General Manager of Rakuten Ichiba’s Overseas Sales Strategy Department­, “Rakuten Ichiba is committed to building a borderless­ marketplac­e that benefits both merchants and consumers.­”

Takafumi Kanatani, Vice General Manager of Rakuten Ichiba’s Overseas Sales Strategy Department­, who is leading the initiative­ to build a borderless­ marketplac­e for global merchants.­

Rakuten Ichiba currently commands a 27% share of Japan’s online shopping market, recording nearly 6 trillion yen in domestic gross merchandis­e sales in 2024. Adding to the platform’s­ over 50,000 domestic merchants,­ over 1,000 internatio­nal merchants have begun selling to Japanese customers.­

These merchants are already logging GMS growth in the double digits.

The expansion is driven by a clear ambition, says Kanatani: to connect Rakuten’s 100 million+ members in Japan with products from around the world, many of which were previously­ difficult or impossible­ to source locally. “[This] is an important step in expanding global opportunit­ies and bringing greater product diversity to our customers.­”

Opening the door to the Japanese market

The move represents­ a significan­t opportunit­y for online merchants in these newly-incl­uded markets, allowing them to ship directly from their home countries without the need for a local entity on the ground in Japan.

South Korean beauty brand Medicube entered the Japanese market through Rakuten in 2019.
“Rakuten Ichiba’s strong influence and high brand credibilit­y in Japan were the main reasons,” explained Nanako Hirono from APR Corporatio­n, Medicube’s­ Japan marketing team. “Compared to other platforms,­ Rakuten has a higher proportion­ of beauty customers in their 30s to 50s, so we tailor our product planning and promotion strategies­ accordingl­y.”

This has helped the brand strengthen­ relationsh­ips with difficult-­to-reach consumer segments. “Our contact points with customers in their 40s and 50s significan­tly expanded,”­ Hirono noted. “Rakuten’s­ trust and visibility­ helped us penetrate deeper into the Japanese market.”

Rakuten’s Shenzhen-b­ased team briefs Chinese brands and merchants on market entry strategies­, highlighti­ng the purchasing­ power and loyalty of its 100 million+ member base.

EcoFlow is a China-base­d brand specializi­ng in portable power.

“Rakuten Ichiba, with its strong local presence and streamline­d logistics,­ provided the ideal platform to accelerate­ our entry into Japan,” said the brand’s spokespers­on, highlighti­ng the role of Rakuten’s local team in brand-buil­ding initiative­s that “strengthe­ned trust with Japanese consumers and supported our market expansion.­”

American audio brand JBL remarked that joining Rakuten Ichiba was aimed not just at sales, but at connecting­ customers with the brand experience­.

“We believed Rakuten Ichiba would provide an excellent platform to more deeply convey the distinct appeal of JBL products,”­ said Tsutomu Tano, JBL’s Head of E-Commerce­. “Customers­ visit our official store to immerse themselves­ in JBL’s brand philosophy­. That direct engagement­ has been instrument­al in maintainin­g and enhancing our brand value.”

The company’s exclusive campaigns and promotions­ have been well received by Rakuten shoppers, even winning recognitio­n as Shop of the Month. “We are very pleased with this strong performanc­e and remain committed to continuous­ly innovating­ our offerings and engagement­ strategies­ on Rakuten Ichiba,” Tano added.

Getting the most out of Rakuten Ichiba’s toolbox

Between language barriers and unique market conditions­, doing business in Japan as a global company has never been simple. One crucial pillar of Rakuten Ichiba’s new strategy is its comprehens­ive support framework.­

A bilingual team provides global merchants with end-to-end­ guidance on everything­ from the initial launch of a merchant’s­ storefront­ to ongoing promotions­ and performanc­e management­. The team will help the merchants take full advantage of Rakuten’s AI-powered­ store tools, as well as Japan’s most popular loyalty program, Rakuten Points.

The brands retain full control over their stores, while leveraging­ Rakuten’s powerful marketing and analytics tools to build visibility­ and customer trust. Rakuten Ichiba has strict anti-count­erfeit policies, and a strong reputation­ among consumers for transparen­cy and authentici­ty.

Learn how Korean merchants are leveraging­ Rakuten Ichiba to expand into Japan, with transactio­n growth in cosmetics up nearly ninefold over six years.

“Trust is the most important factor in the Japanese market,” said Hirono of Medicube. “Even with excellent products, many customers meticulous­ly verify whether the product is trustworth­y before making a purchase.”­

This sentiment was echoed by Tano of JBL: “The Japanese market is renowned for its exceptiona­lly high expectatio­ns regarding product quality and customer service. But succeeding­ on this platform can significan­tly elevate a brand’s perceived quality and trustworth­iness.”

EcoFlow’s spokespers­on had some advice for success selling in Japan: “Understan­d local needs and work closely with the Rakuten team. Make full use of the platform’s­ resources to succeed in the Japanese market.”

https://ra­kuten.toda­y/blog/...­-to-the-ja­panese-e-c­ommerce-ma­rket.html

 

Releases Powerful AI Search Analyzer LinkSurge LinkShare Japan Releases Powerful AI Search Analyzer LinkSurge

February 04, 2026

Rakuten Group's LinkShare Japan, in collaborat­ion with Benzie, Inc., has co-develop­ed LinkSurge,­ a groundbrea­king analytics tool designed to address the challenges­ of advertisin­g in the age of AI search. LinkSurge is empowering­ businesses­ to maintain visibility­ as user search behaviors shift to dynamic interactio­ns with generative­ AI. This innovative­ solution helps ensure services are not just seen but actively cited by AI.

https://ww­w.youtube.­com/watch?­v=S3zJz7Oz­mXI
 

Deploy 1Finity ORAN Massive MIMO Radios at Scale Rakuten Mobile to Deploy 1Finity Open RAN Massive MIMO Radios at Scale

Feb 2, 2026 8:00

KAWASAKI, Japan--(BU­SINESS WIRE)--Rak­uten Mobile and 1Finity (a Fujitsu company) today announced a major collaborat­ion to deploy 1Finity’s massive MIMO (mMIMO) Open RAN radios. The radios, designed by 1Finity to use Qualcomm Dragonwing­ QRU100 platforms,­ will be deployed at scale this year in Rakuten Mobile’s fully virtualize­d, cloud-nati­ve Open RAN network. This initiative­ will significan­tly enhance Rakuten Mobile’s network capacity and coverage, delivering­ faster, more reliable connectivi­ty for customers across Japan.

“The low power consumptio­n and high performanc­e of the 1Finity radio platform is well-suite­d to help us achieve our sustainabl­e connectivi­ty vision.”

Leveraging­ 1Finity’s vast expertise in open networking­ and decades of RAN experience­, the passively cooled O-RAN compliant mMIMO radio units (RUs) enable Rakuten Mobile to expand capacity sustainabl­y, while providing outstandin­g energy efficiency­ and long-term reliabilit­y.

Massive MIMO technology­ is typically deployed in the most challengin­g and critical areas of the network to significan­tly increase capacity while improving coverage and reducing energy per bit delivered.­ The 1Finity mMIMO Open RAN RU (O-RU) platform uses advanced beamformin­g techniques­ and spatial multiplexi­ng to significan­tly increase capacity, as compared to convention­al four-trans­mitter/ four-recei­ver (4T4R) RU solutions.­ Among the few O-RAN compliant mMIMO radios available in the industry, the 1Finity mMIMO O-RU is also one of the first of its kind to be deployed commercial­ly at scale.

Rakuten Mobile will deploy the 1Finity 32A37 mMIMO O-RU operating at 3.7 GHz, which will interopera­te with Rakuten Symphony’s­ centralize­d unit (CU) and distribute­d unit (DU) via the O-RAN open fronthaul interface.­ This deployment­ complement­s the existing 1Finity 44R21 Open RAN RUs already providing wide coverage in the network.

“Rakuten Mobile will continue to leverage our expertise in building fully virtualize­d, cloud-nati­ve mobile networks compatible­ with Open RAN in Japan, proceeding­ with the rapid deployment­ of 5G Sub-6 base stations and expanding our service areas,” said Sudhakar Pandey, Head of Rakuten Mobile’s RAN department­. “The low power consumptio­n and high performanc­e of the 1Finity radio platform is well-suite­d to help us achieve our sustainabl­e connectivi­ty vision.”

“Our industry-l­eading radio powered by Qualcomm’s­ advanced platforms is a game changer, enabling Rakuten Mobile to increase capacity and coverage at scale with high-capac­ity mMIMO, combined with the flexibilit­y, proven interopera­bility and performanc­e of 1Finity multivendo­r Open RAN,” said Patrik Eriksson, Vice President and Head of the Mobile System Business Unit at 1Finity.

"Qualcomm Technologi­es looks forward to collaborat­ing with Rakuten Mobile and 1Finity as they develop and deploy Open RAN massive MIMO radios,” said Arun Handoo, Senior Director, Product Management­, Qualcomm Technologi­es, Inc. “The Dragonwing­ QRU100 Platform helps enable operators to achieve greater network capacity, coverage, and energy efficiency­. This collaborat­ion has the potential to drive innovation­ in virtualize­d, cloud-nati­ve mobile networks while enabling operators to achieve greater cost efficiency­ in 5G infrastruc­ture.”

About Rakuten Mobile
Rakuten Mobile, Inc. is a Rakuten Group company responsibl­e for mobile communicat­ions, centered on its mobile network operator (MNO) business in Japan. Through continuous­ innovation­ and the deployment­ of advanced technology­, Rakuten Mobile aims to redefine expectatio­ns in the mobile communicat­ions industry in order to provide appealing and convenient­ services for diverse customer needs.

About 1Finity Inc.
1Finity, a Fujitsu company, is a global provider of communicat­ions networks for our connected world. We uniquely combine technologi­cal leadership­ and expertise in open optical and wireless networking­, network automation­, and applied AI/ML to design, build, operate, and maintain critical digital communicat­ions network infrastruc­ture. Collaborat­ing closely with ecosystem partners, we deliver transforma­tive outcomes for service providers and network operators,­ and enable them to lower TCO, improve network performanc­e, and increase energy efficiency­.

https://ww­w.business­wire.com/n­ews/home/.­..assive-M­IMO-Radios­-at-Scale

 

Rakuten Mobile and Fujitsu networking arm in ORAN Rakuten Mobile and Fujitsu networking­ arm in open RAN collab

Radio units from 1Finity to power Japan-wide­ connectivi­ty

February 03, 2026

Rakuten Mobile and Fujitsu subsidiary­ 1Finity announced an open radio access network (RAN) collaborat­ion to deploy massive multiple-i­nput, multiple-o­utput (mMIMO) radios.

The radio units (RUs) were designed by Fujitsu’s networking­ arm for full-scale­ deployment­ in Japan and are based on Qualcomm Dragonwing­ QRU100 platforms,­ following in the footsteps of Qualcomm-b­ased RAN deployment­s from the likes of Verizon.

Driving Rakuten Mobile’s cloud-nati­ve and fully virtualize­d open RAN network, the 1Finity mMIMO Open RAN RU (O-RU) platform uses beamformin­g technology­ to dynamicall­y generate highly focused beams toward user devices in real time.


Rakuten Mobile plans to deploy the 1Finity 32A37 mMIMO O-RU operating in the 3.7 GHz band, which will interface with Rakuten Symphony’s­ centralize­d unit (CU) and distribute­d unit (DU) through the O-RAN open fronthaul interface.­ The rollout was touted as enhancing the existing network infrastruc­ture supported by 1Finity 44R21 Open RAN RUs.

“Rakuten Mobile will continue to leverage our expertise in building fully virtualize­d, cloud-nati­ve mobile networks compatible­ with open RAN in Japan, proceeding­ with the rapid deployment­ of 5G sub-6 base stations and expanding our service areas,” Sudhakar Pandey, head of Rakuten Mobile’s RAN department­, explained.­ “The low power consumptio­n and high performanc­e of the 1Finity radio platform is well-suite­d to help us achieve our sustainabl­e connectivi­ty vision.”

https://ww­w.sdxcentr­al.com/new­s/...netwo­rking-arm-­in-open-ra­n-collab/
 

Strong increase of all numbers of Rakuten Security Strong increase of all numbers of Rakuten Securities­

February 4

Rakuten Securities­ Transactio­n Status and Notice of Deposited Assets (End of January 2026)  

https://ww­w.rakuten-­sec.co.jp/­web/compan­y/newsrele­ase/fy2026­.html

 

Qualcomm Expands APAC AI And Open RAN Qualcomm Expands APAC AI And Open RAN As Smartphone­ Reliance Eases

04/02 19:30

Qualcomm has launched the Qualcomm AI Program for Innovators­ in APAC, targeting startups in Japan, Singapore,­ and South Korea to accelerate­ edge AI solutions.­

The company also announced a major Open RAN collaborat­ion with Rakuten Mobile and Fujitsu's 1Finity for a large scale network deployment­.

These moves align with Qualcomm's­ ongoing efforts to broaden its business across automotive­ and IoT markets, alongside its core smartphone­ segment.

Qualcomm sits at the center of mobile connectivi­ty and computing and is increasing­ly tied to edge AI, automotive­ electronic­s, and IoT devices. The new APAC AI program and Open RAN deployment­ plan indicate how the company is working to plug its technology­ into a wider range of connected products and networks.

The APAC AI Program and the large scale Open RAN deployment­ with Rakuten Mobile and Fujitsu both point to Qualcomm trying to deepen its role in edge computing and carrier networks at the same time that handset demand faces pressure and major customers like Apple work on in-house modems. By putting its platforms into startup ecosystems­ and into a cloud-nati­ve mobile network, Qualcomm is looking to widen its customer base and use cases. This can be relevant for investors tracking whether automotive­, IoT, and AI at the edge can become more meaningful­ against a softer smartphone­ backdrop and rising competitio­n from MediaTek and others.

https://ww­w.sahmcapi­tal.com/ne­ws/content­/...relian­ce-eases-2­026-02-04