Viber messenger

Viber, officially known as Rakuten Viber, is a globally recognized communication platform that offers instant messaging, voice-over-IP (VoIP), and video calling services. The software was originally launched in 2010 by Viber Media, a company founded by Israeli entrepreneurs Talmon Marco and Igor Magazinnik. While the company was legally registered in Cyprus to benefit from favorable regulatory environments, its soul and technical development were deeply rooted in Israel, with significant software engineering also outsourced to Belarus to leverage local technical expertise.

In 2014, the brand underwent a major transformation when it was acquired by the Japanese e-commerce and technology titan, Rakuten Group, for approximately $900 million. This acquisition shifted the ultimate ownership to Japan, integrating Viber into Rakuten's massive ecosystem of digital services, which includes online retail, fintech, and mobile telecommunications. Today, the brand is operated by Rakuten Viber, which maintains its corporate headquarters in Luxembourg while continuing to run its primary research and development hubs in Israel. The platform serves over a billion registered users worldwide, positioning it as a significant competitor in the global secure messaging market.