Rakuten TV, one of Europe’s leading streaming platforms, today announced at MIPCOM the international expansion of its FAST services for enterprise customers. The offering will launch progressively in the United States, the Middle East and Japan. It is the first time Barcelona-based Rakuten TV has extended its footprint beyond Europe, through its Rakuten TV Enterprise division.
Rakuten TV CEO Cédric Dufour made the announcement during his MIPCOM Innovation Lab panel, “FAST Beyond Borders: Rakuten TV on What It Takes to Scale Into New Global Markets”.
Two years of Rakuten TV Enterprise
The expansion comes two years after Rakuten TV unveiled Rakuten TV Enterprise at MIPCOM 2024. The service helps content owners, distributors and other industry partners launch, manage and monetise FAST channels and content-focused video applications. It has since grown into a broader suite of services covering O&O channel distribution, technical integration, content and channel management, and monetisation.
Rakuten TV also continues to produce and exclusively distribute owned and operated (O&O) FAST channels, sourcing content from Hollywood studios and leading local broadcasters and rightsholders. It now operates more than 120 O&O channels across Europe.
Rakuten TV Enterprise combines more than 15 years of experience in proprietary technology with expertise in content, distribution, editorial and monetisation. It offers an end-to-end suite of services tailored to each partner and market, and this capability is now available to international partners.
Cédric Dufour, CEO and President, Rakuten TV, said: “Expanding Rakuten TV into the US, Middle East and Japan through our enterprise offerings marks a significant new chapter for the business, as we bring our streaming expertise, technology and infrastructure to new markets around the world. FAST is a fast-moving market, and over the last two years Rakuten TV Enterprise has grown significantly since we launched it with the vision of helping content and entertainment companies bring their FAST and streaming propositions to market and scale them internationally. That growth has been instrumental in enabling this next phase of international expansion, building on our experience in Europe and strengthening our ability to support partners across the streaming ecosystem. As we extend our international footprint, we are opening up new opportunities for Rakuten TV and our partners alike.”
The expansion includes two Rakuten TV Enterprise services in three new markets: channel licensing in the United States and the Middle East, and technical integration in Japan.
United States: editorial differentiation in a mature FAST market
The United States is the most developed and competitive FAST market in the world. Rakuten TV is launching selected O&O FAST channels there, including Rakuten TV Comedy and Rakuten TV Action. The channels combine Hollywood productions and European titles and are designed to avoid overlap with other channels in the market. They are available now on the TCLtv+ app, with further platform launches to follow.
Dufour said: “As the US is a much more mature FAST market, the sheer volume of channels already available means it is important to offer audiences something distinctive. We have taken a highly considered approach to developing our movie channels, analysing existing channel catalogues to identify opportunities and ensure there is no title overlap. The result is a differentiated mix of Hollywood productions and European titles that complements the existing offer while bringing something new to viewers.”
[Image: Rakuten TV Comedy and Rakuten TV Action channel artwork | alt text: Rakuten TV Comedy and Rakuten TV Action FAST channel logos | caption: Rakuten TV Comedy and Rakuten TV Action are now available on TCLtv+ in the United States.]
Middle East: Western cinema for a growing FAST market
Rakuten TV identified an opportunity in the availability of Western cinema channels in the Middle East’s FAST ecosystem. By the end of this year, Rakuten TV Top Movies and Rakuten TV Action will be available through TCLtv+ and TCL Channel in the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, and on LG Channels in the United Arab Emirates. The channels feature English-language content with subtitles adapted to the local market. Rakuten TV is also exploring multiple genre channels or single-IP series relevant to the region.
Dufour said: “As the Middle East experiences a growth surge in FAST channels, we have applied our experience as one of the pioneers in developing FAST movie channels in Europe to create an editorial proposition tailored to local audiences. By combining our understanding of the market with carefully selected content and major cinematic productions, we are able to offer a differentiated channel proposition that complements the existing FAST landscape and brings new viewing opportunities to audiences in the Middle East.”
Japan: technical integration for R Channels
Rakuten TV Enterprise has been selected by Rakuten Group, the Japan-based global technology company that owns Rakuten TV, as the technical integrator to deliver FAST channels to its FAST platform, R Channels, in Japan. The collaboration shows Rakuten TV Enterprise evolving beyond content distribution into a technology partner.
Dufour said: “Our experience in Europe has demonstrated that Rakuten TV Enterprise can operate as a trusted technical partner at scale, managing the technology, infrastructure and FAST expertise required to bring complex channel environments to life. We are now taking that proven capability to international partners, providing the technical foundations they need to launch and scale FAST services in new markets. This gives partners greater access to our expertise while giving us a scalable model to support further international growth.”
A new phase of international growth
Through Enterprise, Rakuten TV is strengthening its role as a strategic partner for content owners, telecommunications operators and TV manufacturers developing and rolling out their FAST strategies. Rakuten TV currently operates more than 500 FAST channels across 43 territories, alongside the Rakuten TV app and its portfolio of O&O FAST channels. The company will continue to grow the app and its O&O channels across platforms and markets, while expanding Enterprise and exploring new partnerships across the streaming ecosystem.
Dufour added: “This expansion represents only the beginning of what we can achieve with Rakuten TV Enterprise. Our experience gives us a strong foundation to help partners navigate the fast-moving streaming landscape and unlock new opportunities in FAST. As we enter more markets, our focus will be on combining that expertise together with a deep understanding of local audiences to build propositions that deliver real value for our partners.”
