GMO Internet Group Announces That the Number of Customers Using Internet Infrastructure Services Has Exceeded 10 Million: Business group supporting the development of the industries in Japan through the Internet

Tokyo, Japan – May 9, 2019 – GMO Internet Group (https://www.gmo.jp/en/ ) announces that the number of customers using the domain, hosting & cloud, and other types of Internet infrastructure services^*1, which support the use and development of the Internet, has exceeded 10 million on March 31, 2019.
GMO Internet Group will run a campaign, from Thursday, May 9, 2019, to Wednesday, May 22, 2019, to distribute JPY 10 million worth of Bitcoin to 1,000 people.

*1 Provider (ISP), domain, hosting & cloud, ASP online store, security (SSL), payment, etc.

Distributing JPY 10 million worth of Bitcoin to 1,000 people

Background of exceeding 10 million customers

Currently, there are about 3.85 million corporations and 5.57 million offices (including 3.85 million corporations) in Japan^*2. As of 2017, 99.9% of corporations use the Internet, 89.6% have their own websites, and 50.2% has expanded to e-commerce (EC) services, so almost all corporations and offices are using the Internet in their businesses^*3.

Integration with the Internet has recently accelerated in various industries, not only improving the efficiency of business processes and the services but also changing the business model through the digitization of goods and creating more innovative ideas that will make the world more convenient.

The GMO Internet Group has been supporting the spread and development of the Internet in Japan for 23 years since 1995 by providing the Internet infrastructure that is essential to business, such as domains and hosting & cloud. Each business area has expanded while creating synergies, and as a result, we have grown into a comprehensive Internet group made up of 110 group companies centered around 9 listed companies.

As a result of supporting the spread and development of the Internet in Japan, the number of customers using Internet infrastructure services has now exceeded 10 million, which is a significant milestone.

The GMO Internet Group will continue to support the development of the Internet and industries in Japan by providing Internet infrastructure services, and strive to offer No. 1 services, aiming to become a business group that supports the Internet globally.

*2 “2016 Economic Census for Business Activity” published by Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications in 2016

*3 “2017 Communications Usage Trend Survey Report (Businesses)” published by Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications in 2018

Campaign distributing JPY 10 million worth of Bitcoin to 1,000 people

GMO Internet Group will run a campaign, from Thursday, May 9, 2019, to Wednesday, May 22, 2019, to distribute JPY 10 million worth of Bitcoin to 1,000 people (i.e. JPY 10,000 per person) by lottery.

Campaign	Distributing JPY 10 million worth of Bitcoin to 1,000 people (i.e. JPY 10,000 per person)
Period	From Thursday, May 9, 2019, at 1 pm to Wednesday, May 22, 2019, at 11:59 pm
How to participate	1. Follow GMO Internet Group’s official Twitter account @GMOGroup. 2. Retweet “Post to participate” to be tweeted during the campaign by the above official Twitter account.
Winner announcement	We will determine the winners by lottery and send them Direct Messages from Twitter.
Website	https://gmo.jp/10million/

For Internet infrastructure services, we also plan to run a campaign linked with the above campaign. The details will be announced on the above campaign site and the websites of the relevant services as soon as they are determined.

Internet Infrastructure business

The GMO Internet Group's Internet Infrastructure business provides a highly secure and convenient environment to use services behind the Internet business, such as providers (ISPs), domains, hosting & cloud, ASP online stores, security (SSL), payment, etc.

- Provider (ISP)
In December 1995, we launched our business starting with the "interQ ORIGINAL," which was the world's first Internet service that did not require membership, followed by “interQ MEMBERS,” a long-established brand “BEKKOAME INTERNET,” and “ZERO.” We currently provide "GMO Tokutoku BB," which is cost-effective, offers a full line-up of Internet services focusing on WiMAX and optical line at the lowest price in the industry, and allows customers to earn monthly points.

- Domain
We launched our business to spread domains - the online addresses - in April 1999 when we became the first domain registrar recognized by Internet resources management group ICANN in Asia. We currently offer more than 580 types of domains, including .com and .jp. The number of domains registered with us has exceeded 20 million in about 20 years since the launch^*4, and our domestic market share is 87.3%, establishing the position of the market leader within Japan^*5.

- Hosting & cloud
In 1997, we launched interQ OFFICE, a rental server service targeting legal entities at around JPY 10,000 per month, which was a low price then. GMO Pepabo, GMO CLOUD, and GMO DigiRock have joined the group, offering a full line-up of services to individuals and businesses, and as a result, our domestic market share has become 56.6%, which is number one^*6. We strive to provide cheap and easy-to-use services, such as cutting-edge technology and stable Internet infrastructure, in response to the more sophisticated needs of customers, supporting business activities and communications on the Internet.

- ASP online store
In 2005, we have launched the Color Me Shop! and MakeShop, which are services to build and create online stores, and provided convenient and easy-to-use functions to shop owners and buyers. As a result, the number of paid stores has been No. 1 for 7 consecutive years^*7.

- Security (SSL)
We started selling SSL in 2003. GlobalSign was the first European organization to acquire WebTrust and the top certificate authority of the Belgian e-Government project^*8. Its clients included organizations related to the Belgian government. After GlobalSign has joined the GMO Internet Group in 2006, we have started providing a service that issues and sells digital certificates. The number of digital certificates issued in Japan has been No. 1 for 4 consecutive years^*9. GMO Internet Group is currently expanding in 17 countries and regions including Japan, and our market share has been No. 1 in several Southeast Asian countries^*10, and in Korea in January 2019^*11.

- Payment
We comprehensively offer multiple payment methods, such as credit card payments and payment at convenience stores, to businesses that have online shops and offer online services. We - centered on Card Commerce (currently, GMO Payment Gateway) that has joined the GMO Internet Group in 2004 - offer a number of payment methods to online shops, including credit card payments. Payment service continues to grow along with the ASP online store service of the GMO Internet Group. It is now Japan's leading payment business with 133,199 merchants (as of 3/2019)^*12, and the annual payment transaction volume exceeds JPY 3 trillion.

*4 Press release “GMO Internet’s Onamae.com has reached 20 million domain name registrations! Campaign distributing 20 kg of steak and original goods” published on May 8, 2019

*5 As of March 31, 2019 (according to our research based on domestic market share published by ICANN)

*6 As of March 31, 2019 (according to our research based on http://webhosting.info/domain-names/registra )

*7 As of March 31, 2019 (according to our research)

*8 International e-commerce certification authority’s audit program managed by American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) and Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants (CICA)

*9 *10 *11 Source: SSL Survey by Netcraft

*12 As of March 31, 2019 (according to our research)

GMO Internet Group

GMO Internet Group is an Internet service industry leader, developing and operating Japan’s most widely used domain, hosting & cloud, ecommerce, security, and payment solutions. The Group also includes the world’s largest online FX trading platform, as well as online advertising, Internet media, and cryptocurrency related services. GMO Internet, Inc. (TSE: 9449) is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. For more information, please visit https://www.gmo.jp/en/