Rakuten TV
A Rakuten-owned video platform combining transactional streaming, subscriptions, advertising-supported viewing, and free ad-supported television channels.
Last updated August 22, 2026
AI crawler reads
No AI crawler has read this profile since Oct 28, 2026.
Overview
Rakuten TV is a video-on-demand and free ad-supported streaming television platform owned by Japan's Rakuten Group. It originated in Spain in 2010 as Wuaki.tv, a digital service built around online access to films and television programming. Rakuten acquired Wuaki.tv in June 2012, using the business as a foundation for a broader European entertainment strategy. The service subsequently expanded beyond Spain into the United Kingdom, Italy, France, Germany, and other European markets. In Japan, a service known as Rakuten SHOWTIME adopted the Rakuten TV name on 1 July 2017, although the Japanese operation remains distinct from the European business in its operating structure. The platform has developed from a primarily transactional video-on-demand service into a multi-format streaming business. Its commercial models include transactional video on demand, in which users rent or purchase individual titles; subscription video on demand; advertising-supported video; and free ad-supported streaming television, commonly known as FAST. Since 2019, Rakuten TV has presented these models within a wider platform strategy, allowing users to access a mixture of paid catalogues, subscription programming, and free channels supported by advertising. Rakuten TV's catalogue includes films and television series supplied by major international studios, local distributors, and independent producers. Reference material identifies content relationships involving studios such as Warner Bros., Disney, and Sony Pictures, alongside locally oriented programming. The platform also distributes FAST channels curated by Rakuten and channels supplied or operated by external partners. This gives the service a hybrid role: it is both a consumer storefront for on-demand rentals and purchases and a programming environment resembling a digital television service. The service is available across a broad range of connected devices, including televisions and other consumer electronics capable of running streaming applications. Its European business is operated through Rakuten TV Europe from Barcelona, while Rakuten directly operates the Japanese service. The platform's geographic footprint covers much of Europe as well as Japan, with availability varying by country and content rights. Rakuten TV is separate from Rakuten Viki, another Rakuten-owned streaming business focused principally on Asian drama, variety programming, and animation for international audiences. Rakuten has also used the service and its associated digital-media capabilities to enter live sports distribution. In June 2019, Rakuten announced Rakuten Sports, a related live-streaming and video-on-demand initiative intended to distribute sports programming internationally. The initiative included coverage of the Davis Cup for the 2019 and 2020 seasons, linked to Rakuten's sponsorship of the competition. This broadened the group's streaming proposition beyond films and series and connected the platform more closely with Rakuten's wider sports and sponsorship activities.
History
Rakuten TV began in Spain in 2010 under the name Wuaki.tv. The service was established as an online video platform offering films and television content through internet-connected devices, initially focusing on the Spanish market before extending its reach to Andorra. Its early development placed it within the emerging European digital-video sector, where transactional streaming offered consumers an alternative to physical media and traditional broadcast schedules. Rakuten acquired Wuaki.tv in June 2012. The transaction brought the Spanish streaming operation into the Japanese technology and e-commerce group's portfolio and gave Rakuten an established route into European digital entertainment. Rather than limiting the service to Spain, Rakuten used the business as a platform for geographic expansion. By 2013, Wuaki.tv had entered the United Kingdom and subsequently launched in Italy, France, and Germany. Further expansion created a presence across much of Europe, although the availability of individual titles and commercial models remained dependent on national rights arrangements. The business was gradually integrated into Rakuten's broader consumer ecosystem. In Japan, Rakuten operated a separate video service under the Rakuten SHOWTIME name. On 1 July 2017, that Japanese service changed its name to Rakuten TV. The European Wuaki.tv business also adopted the Rakuten TV brand in 2017, bringing the group's video services closer together under a common identity while retaining differences in local operations and catalogues. In June 2018, Rakuten TV took over the user base of TalkTalk TV Store, a service previously associated with Blinkbox. The migration included users' purchased titles, an important operational step for a digital video business because customer libraries and entitlement records are central to the value of transactional purchases. The move expanded Rakuten TV's customer reach in the United Kingdom and strengthened its position in the market. From 2019 onward, Rakuten TV broadened its business model beyond rentals and purchases. The platform offered a combination of transactional video on demand, subscription video on demand, advertising-supported video, and free ad-supported streaming television channels. Its catalogue drew on major international studios, local distributors, and independent content providers. In parallel, Rakuten TV developed a channel-based proposition, including Rakuten-curated channels and FAST channels supplied or curated by partners. This hybrid structure allowed the service to compete not only with transactional digital stores but also with subscription platforms and digitally delivered television channels. Rakuten expanded its sports ambitions in June 2019 through the announcement of Rakuten Sports, a related live-streaming and video-on-demand service. Rakuten Sports distributed sports entertainment to multiple countries and, from November 2019, offered subscription streaming coverage of the Davis Cup for two seasons. The sports initiative was connected to Rakuten's sponsorship of the tournament and demonstrated how the group's streaming operations could support live events as well as filmed entertainment. Rakuten TV's European operation is headquartered in Barcelona, while Rakuten's corporate headquarters and Japanese service are based in Tokyo. The platform continues to operate in Japan and across a wide group of European markets. It is distinct from Rakuten Viki, another Rakuten-owned streaming brand whose focus is Asian drama, variety programming, and animation distributed to international audiences.
- 2019
Multi-model streaming strategy and Rakuten Sports
[1]Rakuten TV operates across transactional, subscription, advertising-supported, and FAST models; Rakuten also announces the related Rakuten Sports service.
- 2018
TalkTalk TV Store customer migration
[1]Rakuten TV assumes the TalkTalk TV Store user base and migrates purchased-title entitlements.
- 2017
Wuaki.tv becomes Rakuten TV
[1]The European service adopts the Rakuten TV identity, while Rakuten's Japanese Rakuten SHOWTIME service also changes to Rakuten TV on 1 July.
- 2013
European expansion
[1]The service enters the United Kingdom and later expands into Italy, France, and Germany.
- 2012
Rakuten acquires Wuaki.tv
[1]Rakuten acquires the Spanish streaming business and begins developing it as an international digital-entertainment platform.
- 2010
Wuaki.tv launches in Spain
[1]The video service that later became Rakuten TV begins operations in Spain under the Wuaki.tv name.
Products and positioning
A pan-European and Japanese hybrid streaming platform combining transactional video, subscriptions, advertising-supported programming, and FAST channels.
Transactional video on demand · 2010
Rakuten TV video-on-demand
The core on-demand storefront offers films and television series for individual rental or purchase. Its catalogue combines programming from international studios, local distributors, and independent labels, with availability shaped by country-specific licensing agreements.
Subscription video on demand
Rakuten TV subscription service
Rakuten TV also supports subscription-based access to selected video catalogues. The subscription proposition complements rather than replaces the platform's rental, purchase, advertising-supported, and free-channel formats.
Free ad-supported streaming television · 2019
Rakuten TV FAST channels
The FAST offering provides free, scheduled channels financed by advertising. It includes channels curated by Rakuten and channels supplied or curated by external partners, giving users a television-like viewing experience alongside on-demand access.
Live sports streaming · 2019
Rakuten Sports
Rakuten Sports is a related live-streaming and video-on-demand sports initiative announced in 2019. It was designed to distribute sports entertainment internationally and included subscription coverage of the Davis Cup for the 2019 and 2020 seasons.
Marketing campaigns
- 2019Rakuten Sports and Davis Cup streaming
Europe · International markets
Rakuten used its sports sponsorship and streaming capabilities to support Rakuten Sports, which distributed subscription coverage of the Davis Cup during the 2019 and 2020 seasons.
Outcome. The initiative extended Rakuten's digital-video activities into live sports and connected streaming distribution with a major sponsorship property.
Brand decisions
2019
Expand into FAST and sports streamingProduct launchBackground
The streaming market was increasingly divided among transactional services, subscription platforms, advertising-supported video, and live digital programming.
Action taken
Rakuten TV developed a combined TVOD, AVOD, SVOD, and FAST proposition, while Rakuten announced the related Rakuten Sports platform.
Aftermath
Rakuten TV broadened its role from a digital rental and purchase store into a more diversified streaming and channel platform.
2018
Migrate the TalkTalk TV Store customer baseM&ABackground
TalkTalk TV Store, previously associated with Blinkbox, had an existing user base and customer libraries of purchased digital titles.
Action taken
Rakuten TV took over the service's users and migrated their purchased-title entitlements.
Aftermath
The transaction expanded Rakuten TV's reach in the United Kingdom and preserved access to customers' previously purchased content.
2017
Unify the streaming identity under Rakuten TVStrategyBackground
Rakuten operated video services under different local names, including Wuaki.tv in Europe and Rakuten SHOWTIME in Japan.
Action taken
The European Wuaki.tv service was rebranded Rakuten TV, and the Japanese Rakuten SHOWTIME service adopted the Rakuten TV name on 1 July 2017.
Aftermath
The change created a more consistent global brand architecture while the Japanese and European operations continued to be managed separately.
Recent events
Rakuten TV announces AVOD service launch[2]
Reported:
Rakuten TV announced the launch of ad-supported video-on-demand channels within its platform, offering viewers content for free. The service was to be available in beta across the 2019 Smart TV line-up, with a progressive rollout to other platforms.
Rakuten TV launches ad-supported VoD channels[3]
Rakuten TV announced the launch of its first ad-supported video-on-demand channels within its platform, offering viewers a free section of content. The service was to be available in beta across the complete 2019 Smart TV lineup, with rollout to other platforms planned progressively.
Sources3 sources
Cite this profile: Cite the canonical profile. /brand-wiki/rakuten-tv · Editorial policy · How profiles are compiled