Tech giant Rakuten, owner of messaging app Viber, announces Kyiv office, new services

Rakuten Group, the owner of the Viber messenger app, announced the opening of an office in the center of Kyiv.

Three Rakuten companies (Rakuten Viber, Rakuten Advertising and Rakuten Rewards) already have development and marketing teams in Kyiv and Odesa. "The new Kyiv office will enable local contributors to work together to bring valuable technology products and services to users around the world, further cementing Ukraine’s reputation as an IT innovation hub," the company reports.

Rakuten decided to open an office in Kyiv after the visit of Chairman of the Board and CEO Mickey Mikitani together with Japanese government officials during a diplomatic mission to Ukraine in September 2023.

The company also plans to hire additional employees in the technology sector and appoint a regional manager. One of the next steps will be the launch of the Rakuten Viber digital wallet service in Ukraine after its introduction in several European countries. With its help, Ukrainian users will be able to send money to and from the country through instant transactions.

Rakuten also plans to join the Diia.City tech space in 2024.