February 18, 2025 – Manila, Philippines – At a special event held in Manila today, Rakuten Viber’s senior management team unveiled how Viber is further evolving as a super app for the Philippines. This includes new features and product updates designed to strengthen connections between users and businesses in the country. These new solutions are built on the strong growth Viber experienced in the Philippines in 2024 and reaffirm the country’s status as a key market for Rakuten Viber.
With 84% of internet usage in the Philippines coming from mobile devices and 92% of shoppers using their phones to complete transactions, mobile platforms continue to play a critical role in daily life. As mobile becomes the primary screen for everyday tasks, there is growing demand for all-in-one platforms that seamlessly integrate user and business needs.
Ongoing growth for small business accounts
To address this demand, Rakuten Viber is rolling out new products and services tailored to its growing local audience. With its ambition to help users connect and interact more easily with local businesses, Rakuten Viber shared that business accounts for MSMEs have been firmly established since their launch in the Philippines in 2023. There has been a 194% year-over-year (YoY) growth in business accounts created by small businesses and a 74% YoY increase in consumer engagement with these accounts.
New functionalities, unveiled at the end of 2024, now make it easier for users to discover businesses and learn about their offerings. Rakuten Viber’s Senior Director in APAC, David Tse, also shared plans to introduce premium features throughout 2025. These features will provide small businesses with tools to promote their offerings, retain existing customers, attract new ones, and boost their revenues.
New solutions for businesses to improve customer engagement
Viber is enhancing its Viber for Business suite with new features and solutions designed for larger businesses and brands, providing a more tailored and improved user experience. The company will introduce new advertising formats to increase visibility and engagement with relevant audiences, while also offering more brand placement opportunities. Additionally, the app will launch AI-powered ads, enabling users to ask questions about a product or service directly within the ad banner.
Furthermore, Noa Bar Shay, Senior Director of Sales & Partnerships at Rakuten Viber, revealed that the company will expand its messaging capabilities for brands by introducing new message types. The first will provide users with a defined list of options, such as giving feedback on a service or booking a meeting. The second message type will visually display a range of products with a personalized offer, making it easy for users to choose what interests them most. This streamlined approach allows users to find out more or make a purchase with just a couple of clicks, helping brands drive conversions.
These updates have been developed as a result of the steep increase in brand-user interactions the app has seen in 2024, with:
862 million average monthly impressions for Viber Ads in the Philippines.
53% growth in business messages delivered to users.
89% surge in transactional messages, such as delivery updates and purchase confirmations.
34% increase in promotional messages, including exclusive deals and personalised special offers.
95% growth in conversational messages between brands and users, with users often turning to live agents or automated chatbots for customer support and around-sales assistance.
Viber Dating launched to connect real people
Rakuten Viber also presented an overview of its newest feature, which launched this weekend. Viber Dating helps users find and build meaningful relationships in a safe and secure environment that protects their privacy at all times. While many users feel fatigued by dating apps, they remain the primary way people connect and meet. In fact, 40% of Filipinos use dating apps because they allow them to meet people they otherwise wouldn’t encounter in daily life.
Viber Dating now enables Viber users to meet within the app and then continue their conversations securely on Viber. The feature addresses key concerns from users in the Philippines, who are looking to connect with real people, receive high-quality matches, and maintain control over their identities until they choose to reveal them. Rakuten Viber also highlighted that this launch makes Viber the first communications app to offer a moderated, in-app dating platform exclusively for verified users, ensuring a trusted experience for all. The Philippines is among the first countries worldwide to gain full access to this feature, and just days after its launch, it has already attracted more than 100,000 users.
Speaking at the event, Rakuten Viber CEO Ofir Eyal emphasized the Philippines’ crucial role in the company’s global strategy:
"The Philippines holds a special place for us, often serving as the launchpad for our key products. Local insights play a vital role in shaping our global innovations. At the same time, as an international super app, we bring global trends to the Philippines. This inspires us to continually introduce new features and solutions, ensuring every innovation is both relevant and impactful. Our latest updates reflect our vision of creating a super app that simplifies everyday life by offering services to meet daily needs."
