A late-1990s online marketplace that grew into Japan's most sprawling internet conglomerate
QUICK FACTS
Est. 1997 — best known for e-commerce, mobile carrier services, and online finance.
HISTORY
Rakuten was founded in 1997 by Hiroshi Mikitani, a former banker, initially as MDM Inc., launching the Rakuten Ichiba online shopping mall with just 13 merchant stores. Rather than warehousing and shipping goods itself like a typical e-commerce site, Rakuten operates as a marketplace that hosts independent merchants — a model closer to a shopping mall than a single retailer.
Rakuten expanded well beyond e-commerce over the following decades, launching Rakuten Card (credit cards), Rakuten Bank, Rakuten Travel, and a widely used points/loyalty program that spans its services. In 2020 it launched Rakuten Mobile, becoming Japan's fourth major nationwide mobile carrier and challenging the long-standing dominance of NTT Docomo, KDDI, and SoftBank.
PRODUCTS
Online shopping marketplace hosting independent merchants
Japan's fourth major mobile carrier, launched 2020
Loyalty points program shared across Rakuten's services
TIMELINE
This page is compiled from publicly available company history and is provided for general reference only. For the most accurate and up-to-date information, please consult the brand's official website.