NTT Docomo Inc., the largest mobile operator in Japan, has entered into an agreement to acquire a controlling stake in the online bank SBI Sumishin Net Bank Ltd., a subsidiary of SBI Holdings Inc., for 420 billion yen ($2.9 billion). This is reported in a press release from NTT.
Over the past two years, NTT Docomo has consistently increased its portfolio of financial services assets in line with the general trend of financial institutions being acquired by Japanese telecommunications companies amid growing competition in the financial sector between KDDI, Rakuten Mobile and SoftBank.
As part of the deal, NTT Docomo, a subsidiary of Nippon Telegraph&Telephone Corp., will send a tender offer for the acquisition of SBI Sumishin shares at 4,900 yen per share (49% higher than the closing price on May 28, 2025). In 2023, NTT formed a joint venture with Monex, and in 2024 acquired Orix Credit in order to offer loans to its customers. The bank also has a loyalty reward program called "d points," but this latest step will help it expand into the broader banking services sector.
Upon completion of the transaction, NTT Docomo will receive 66% of SBI Sumishin shares. At the same time, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corp. He will retain 34.19% of the company's shares and 50% of the votes, and the remaining 50% will belong to NTT Docomo. SBI Sumishin Net Bank will become a consolidated subsidiary of NTT Docomo.
The deal is part of an investment alliance between state-owned telecommunications company NTT and SBI Holdings, in which NTT will acquire an 8.25% stake in SBI Holdings for 110 billion yen ($764 million). The alliance members plan to jointly develop new services with the support of NTT Data Group for the further development of digital financial services.
NTT Docomo is the largest mobile operator in Japan. NTT is a subsidiary of the telephone operator Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corp. and it has 91 billion customers. The headquarters is located in Tokyo (Japan).
SBI Holdings is an online brokerage company in the field of financial services. The company specializes in individual stock trading and serves individual investors by providing asset management, trading and investment data. The headquarters is located in Tokyo (Japan).
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