Messenger Viber intends to launch its own cryptocurrency, said Rakuten’s CEO Hiroshi Mikitani at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Тechcrunch.com reported. 

The company plans to increase the number of international transactions, to reduce the commission for currency exchange as well as to expand the retail and wholesale trade network.

Rakuten Coin blockchain-based cryptocurrency has every chance to become a cross-border payment method, Mikitani noted without elaborating on the data of release.

According to analysts, Viber’s decision to create its own cryptocurrency comes from competitive reasons, as recently Telegram announced his own TON cryptocurrency.

Messaging app Viber was bought by Rakuten, the owner of online retailer Play.com in 2014. The Japanese company paid $900m (£540m) for the mobile app.