Rakuten Considers Credit Card Unit IPO to Help Finances: NHK (1)

Rakuten Group Inc. is considering taking its credit card unit public to streamline its operations in the face of climbing mobile losses, public broadcaster NHK reported.

The Japanese e-commerce firm on Thursday said it plans to combine its credit card operations with its smartphone payments arm as it seeks to enhance points-based rewards for members. An initial public offering of the credit card unit is a possibility after that reorganization is completed, NHK said without attribution or time frame.

Rakuten in May announced a $2.4 billion share sale to shore up capital depleted by the loss-churning mobile unit. It’s also ...