Rakuten strikes new financial deals and business relationships

Rakuten aims to raise $2.2 billion by issuing new shares for three major investors: Japan Post (an 8.3% stake), Tencent (3.6%) and Walmart (0.9%). The Japanese operator intends to use the funds to expand its capabilities and innovate further in core fields such as mobile networks, financial technology, and artificial intelligence and data analytics.

This is more than just a set of investments. It confirms Rakuten’s ambitions to play a greater role in the wider digital ecosystem, leveraging the power and reach of mobile technology. It also reflects the high expectations around the business potential of cross-sector collaboration in the digital economy. Japan Post and Rakuten aim to strengthen their business relationship in mobile services and logistics, with further room for collaboration in financial services and e-commerce in the future. The collaboration with Tencent is also noteworthy, as it allows Rakuten to explore new opportunities in media, online gaming and digital content, including in the Chinese market.

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