Last checked at 24 Sep 2018 07:00
24 September 2018
Boku, Inc.
("Boku" or the "Company" and, together with its subsidiaries, the "Group")
Agreement with Rakuten
Boku (AIM: BOKU), the world's leading independent direct carrier billing company, is pleased to announce it has signed an initial deal with Rakuten Collection, a division of the Rakuten Group, to provide carrier billing solutions for Rakuten Collection's e-commerce site, focused on the Japanese market. This is Boku's first major agreement to provide carrier billing services for physical eCommerce in Japan.
Rakuten Collection is an e-Commerce site that specializes in the sale of limited edition, collectible trading items that are popular in Japan. Boku's carrier billing service was recently activated for Rakuten Collection and the two companies are now exploring ways to expand Boku's service to other Rakuten offerings. Rakuten operates over 70 services including Rakuten Ichiba (eCommerce shopping mall), Rakuten Kobo (eBooks), Rakuten TV (streaming video), and Rakuten Travel (travel bookings).
Jon Prideaux, CEO of Boku Inc., commented: "Japan is a very exciting territory for us because it offers the unique opportunity to expand carrier billing into any eCommerce channel including those that sell physical goods. Rakuten is one of the top two eCommerce operators in Japan and we intend to work closely with them to offer more of its customers the option of charging any Rakuten purchase to their mobile phone bill."
Enquiries:
Boku, Inc. Jon Prideaux, Chief Executive Officer Stuart Neal, Chief Financial Officer
| +44 (0)20 3934 6632 |
Peel Hunt LLP (Nominated Adviser and Broker) Edward Knight / Nick Prowting
| +44 (0)20 7418 8900 |
IFC Advisory Limited (Financial PR & IR) Tim Metcalfe / Heather Armstrong / Florence Chandler | +44 (0)20 3934 6630 |
Notes to Editors
Incorporated in 2008, Boku is the leading independent direct carrier billing company in the world. Boku's technology enables mobile phone users, of which there are more than five billion worldwide, to buy goods and services and charge them to their mobile phone bill or pre-pay balance.
Boku's platform connects its customers, including Apple, Google, Facebook, Microsoft, Spotify and Sony, with billing, identity and sales systems of mobile network operators. The Group's technology makes a consumer's mobile phone number a convenient and secure payment method, providing an alternative to credit and debit cards. By using Boku, merchants take people with mobile phones and make them paying users.
About Rakuten:
Rakuten, Inc. (TSE: 4755) is a global leader in internet services that empower individuals, communities, businesses and society. Founded in Tokyo in 1997 as an online marketplace, Rakuten has expanded to offer services in e-commerce, fintech, digital content and communications to more than 1.2 billion members around the world. The Rakuten Group has over 15,000 employees, and operations in 30 countries and regions. For more information visit https://global.rakuten.com/corp/.