SBI Holdings will make livedoor a wholly owned subsidiary and seeks to build a new media ecosystem by leveraging its reach as an information provider to approximately 100 million monthly users. The consideration is approximately ¥7.5 billion, and a three-way collaboration with NTT DATA is also expected to advance.
SBI Holdings formally announced on 17 September that it would make livedoor a wholly owned subsidiary, agreeing to acquire all of its shares for approximately ¥7.5 billion. livedoor operates a comprehensive news site, blog services and other businesses, and owns one of Japan’s leading media assets. Through the transaction, SBI aims to build a new economic sphere by combining its financial capabilities with media and intellectual property.
The acquisition is driven by SBI’s push to build a new media ecosystem. It aims to integrate livedoor’s information-distribution capabilities and user base with its own financial services and content businesses, creating a range of monetisation opportunities. SBI also plans to establish a content fund on a scale of approximately ¥100 billion.
The seller, MINKABU THE INFONOID, acquired the business from the former LINE in 2022 for ¥7.1 billion. The company plans to use the proceeds from the sale for ¥7.5 billion to repay borrowings, strengthen its financial base and expand its capacity for future growth investment.
Through a three-way collaboration including NTT DATA, MINKABU announced a capital and business alliance with NTT DATA. NTT DATA is expected to become a shareholder, while business collaboration among the three companies is also expected to move forward. The companies plan to strengthen their use of digital technologies and AI, as well as support for financial digital transformation, with the aim of becoming a financial information platform provider originating in Japan.