SBI to acquire Livedoor for approximately 8 billion JPY

SBI Group will acquire Livedoor from Minikabu for about 8 billion JPY, according to a report published on September 17. Minikabu commented that the report is "generally accurate" and stated that the transfer of Livedoor will be discussed at a board meeting planned for the same day, with prompt public announcement following a resolution.

The Nikkei reported that SBI Holdings will acquire 100% of Livedoor shares, fully integrating it as a subsidiary. Additionally, NTT Data is expected to invest in Minikabu, and the three companies are set to collaborate on financial data business operations.

In a timely disclosure released on the same day, Minikabu clarified that the reports regarding the transfer of Livedoor to SBI Group and the investment by NTT Data were not officially announced by them, yet acknowledged that the content is "generally accurate."

Prior to this report, SBI and Minikabu had signed a basic agreement on May 19 to begin discussions on capital and business partnerships concerning Livedoor's media operations and what SBI refers to as the "Neo Media Business." They proposed combining Livedoor's platforms, including Livedoor News and Kstyle, with SBI Group's intellectual properties such as talents and characters.

Livedoor, acquired by Minikabu in 2022, operates various services including the comprehensive news site Livedoor News and the blog service Livedoor Blog, boasting around 100 million monthly users and over 30 million social media followers.

Reported by CNET Japan.