Rakuten acquires Viber messaging app
Japanese e-commerce giant Rakuten has acquired the Viber messaging app for $900 million.
Rakuten said the purchase would enable it to penetrate new markets with multiple digital offerings in combination with its e-commerce and financial services platform.
The acquisition represents another step for the Play.com owner into the digital content space following its acquisition of Kobo, Wuaki.tv, and Viki.
Rakuten chairman and chief executive Hiroshi Mikitani said Viber delivered the most consistently high quality messaging and VoIP experience available and also had strong potential as a gaming platform. He added: “We seek to bring our deep understanding of the consumer to vast new audiences through our dynamic ecosystem of Internet Services.”
Never Miss a Retail Update!Viber chief and founder Talmon Marco said: “Sharing similar aspirations with Rakuten, our vision is to be the world’s No.1 communications platform and our combination with Rakuten is an important step in that direction.”
