iGrow: Young Rakutenians empower new investors in Japan

Late last year, Rakuten Securities launched a brand-new asset-building app designed with first-time investors in mind: iGrow. Developed by a team of young Rakuten Securities employees, the app aims to cut through the noise and strip away the complexity of investing for a smoother, more intuitive way to manage long-term financial goals.

iGrow represents a major move in Rakuten Securities’ push to empower the next generation of investors – especially those in their 20s and 30s, who are driving much of the platform’s growth.

Making finance friendly

Rakuten Securities users have long relied on the platform’s iSPEED app to manage their portfolios. In fact, iSPEED was one of the Rakuten Group’s very first apps, launching on the Apple Store as early as 2008. iGrow, however, is shooting for a different experience, tailored specifically to newer investors.

While iSPEED is packed with functionality for seasoned traders, the sheer depth and volume of options can be intimidating for beginners. iGrow seeks to address this by trimming down the experience to just what new investors actually need, with a streamlined, user-friendly interface that doesn’t sacrifice any key functionality.

The app allows users to check on their Rakuten Securities assets, trade in investment trusts, and manage their iDeCo and NISA accounts – all in one place. It also connects to Rakuten Bank, letting users view deposit balances, and even their Rakuten Points. Regular investments can be tracked with push notifications and a simple calendar feature.

Another standout feature of the app is its robo-advisor savings diagnosis tool, which provides a snapshot of a user’s portfolio health, breaking down the data into simple visuals for actionable insights.

Young Rakutenians welcome new investors

In recent years, Rakuten Securities has seen a significant influx of younger users, with investors in their 30s and below making up 54% of all new accounts in 2024. iGrow was built specifically to empower this demographic and support them through the next 30 years of their financial journey.

“Previously, Rakuten Securities lacked an app for users engaged in long-term asset building,” explains Taichi Hatakeyama, who joined Rakuten in 2022 and oversaw iGrow’s asset management interface.

“To ease anxiety about investing and encourage long-term asset building, we believe it is important to provide a user-friendly design that allows for easy portfolio tracking and transactions. In addition, helping users to view their portfolio from different viewpoints can serve as an opportunity to make their next investment decisions.”

Arisa Shibuya led the management of the iGrow project.

“We took on the challenge of developing our first large-scale app by starting from zero and defining the branding, app function and design,” she recounts. “We always considered the customer’s point of view, never confined ourselves to the boundaries of a finance app, and moved the project forward without compromise and with fresh ideas from young team members. Going forward, we will expand product offerings and level up existing functions, evolving to further support customers in their asset-building journey.”

Capitalizing on the success of Toshiru

Since 2017, Rakuten Securities has operated the investor learning hub Toshiru – a portmanteau of the Japanese words for investment and know. The hub has become a trusted source of financial education for beginners and experienced investors alike, thanks to its clear explainers, expert insights, interviews and video tutorials.

Building on that success, the iGrow team integrated a social media-style newsfeed into their app, delivering curated financial news and asset tips from Toshiru and other trusted sources such as Reuters. By making this content easily accessible, the team hopes that iGrow users will have everything they need to start investing with confidence.

Betting on the younger generation

iGrow is Rakuten Securities’ endeavor to reshape what investing looks like for young users in Japan, lowering the barrier to entry with intuitive design, smart features and powerful insights.

By putting the app into the hands of the very demographic it’s built for – both as users and developers – Rakuten Securities is empowering the next generation of investors for long-term success.