The company will bring its FAST channel distribution and monetization services to new markets outside Europe, with deals in the United States and the Middle East, alongside the technology integration of the R Channels platform in Japan.
Rakuten TV announced the international expansion of Rakuten TV Enterprise, its technology and distribution services division for the FAST (free ad-supported streaming TV) ecosystem, at Mipcom 2026. The company will enter markets outside Europe for the first time, with operations in the United States, the Middle East and Japan.
The announcement was made by Cédric Dufour, CEO and president of Rakuten TV, during the panel FAST Beyond Borders: Rakuten TV on What It Takes to Scale Into New Global Markets, held at Mipcom’s Innovation Lab.
Launched at MIPCOM 2024, Rakuten TV Enterprise provides services ranging from the distribution of owned and third-party channels to technology integration, content management and monetization. Its international expansion aims to bring this expertise to new partners and territories amid continued growth in the FAST business.
The company currently operates more than 120 owned-and-operated (O&O) FAST channels across Europe, while its global operations encompass more than 500 FAST channels in 43 territories.
United States: Movie Channels on TCLtv+
In the United States, Rakuten TV will focus on offering differentiated programming in one of the most competitive FAST markets. The company has already launched its owned channels Rakuten TV Comedy and Rakuten TV Action on the TCLtv+ app, with further launches on other platforms expected soon.
The offering combines Hollywood productions with European titles, featuring a curated selection designed to complement existing content and avoid overlap with other channels available in the market.
According to Dufour, the strategy is based on analyzing existing catalogs to identify programming opportunities and deliver differentiated content to US audiences.
Expansion Into the UAE and Saudi Arabia
In the Middle East, Rakuten TV is preparing to launch two FAST channels, Rakuten TV Top Movies and Rakuten TV Action, in the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia. The launch is scheduled for late 2026 through TCLtv+, TCL Channel and LG Channels.
The programming will focus on Western movies, including major Hollywood blockbusters, with English-language content and subtitles tailored to local markets.
The company is also exploring the development of genre-based channels and offerings built around specific intellectual properties, in line with the opportunities it sees in the region’s FAST ecosystem.
Japan: Technology Integration for R Channels
Rakuten TV’s expansion into Japan will take a different approach. Rakuten TV Enterprise was selected by Rakuten Group, the Japanese technology conglomerate that owns the company, as the technology integrator for the R Channels FAST platform.
The agreement covers the provision of technical services to operate FAST channels on the Japanese platform, extending Enterprise’s reach beyond content distribution and strengthening its position as a technology partner for the development and management of streaming services.
“Our experience in Europe has demonstrated that Rakuten TV Enterprise can operate as a trusted technology partner at scale,” Dufour said, highlighting the division’s ability to provide the infrastructure and specialized expertise required to launch and scale FAST services in new markets.
