Tokyo, May 29 — NTT Docomo is poised to acquire a majority stake in SBI Sumishin Net Bank, a prominent online banking institution. This acquisition is part of Docomo’s strategy to move beyond its traditional telecommunications business and strengthen its digital financial ecosystem. Sources familiar with the matter indicate that the official announcement is expected later today.
By entering the banking sector, Docomo aims to reduce its dependence on the saturated mobile communications market and build a comprehensive economic ecosystem by integrating its existing services with new financial offerings. The company intends to enhance customer retention by creating a more interconnected ecosystem that leverages synergies across finance, e-commerce, and telecommunications.
In recent years, Japan’s telecom giants have increasingly focused on diversifying their revenue streams. Competitors such as KDDI, SoftBank, and Rakuten have already established strong financial service divisions, leaving Docomo to catch up in this area. The acquisition of SBI Sumishin Net Bank represents Docomo’s efforts to close that gap and strengthen its presence in the fintech sector.
SBI Sumishin Net Bank is listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange’s Standard Market. As of the end of March, its shares were primarily held by Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Bank and SBI Holdings, each owning more than one-third of the stock. Docomo plans to purchase shares from SBI Holdings and acquire additional shares from the market to secure a majority stake. Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Bank is expected to retain its existing holdings.
NTT Docomo has been actively seeking new growth opportunities beyond telecommunications, and this acquisition is viewed as a crucial step toward becoming a more diversified digital services provider.