Japanese e-commerce juggernaut Rakuten announced officially today that it has bought Singapore-based global video-streaming site Viki, which touts itself as the global version of Hulu and Netflix with its unique approach of crowdsourced subtitles.
This latest move adds on to Rakuten’s entertainment arsenal — in 2011, it snapped up e-book firm Kobo and last year it bought Spain’s version of Netflix: streaming and video-on-demand company Wuaki.tv. This hints at the Japanese company’s ambition to go beyond e-commerce and branch out further into being a provider of digital content.
Terms of the Rakuten-Viki deal were not disclosed, but AllThingsD pegs it at $200 million.
➤ Exclusive: Japan’s Rakuten Acquires Viki Video Site for $200 Million [AllThingsD]
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