Jul. 01, 2026Marubeni Corporation
Marubeni Corporation (hereinafter, “Marubeni”) has acquired additional shares of IOSYS Co., Ltd. (hereinafter, “IOSYS”), a company engaged in the purchase and sale of IT devices such as smartphones and PCs, making IOSYS a wholly owned subsidiary of Marubeni (hereinafter, the “Transaction”).
The IT device reuse market is expected to see stable growth against a backdrop of longer product life cycles and growing cost-consciousness. In particular, the second-hand smartphone market is attracting attention as a growth market due in part to the rising prices of new products. In Japan, the market size for second-hand smartphones is projected to grow from 307.5 billion yen (16.2 million units in circulation) in FY2025 to 432.5 billion yen (19.6 million units in circulation) by FY2030, representing a compound annual growth rate of 7.1%*. Globally, the market size is estimated at USD 78.5 billion (397 million units in circulation) in FY2025, and is expected to grow to USD 133.8 billion (701 million units in circulation) by FY2030, representing a compound annual growth rate of 11.1%**.
Marubeni entered the IT device reuse business through Mobile Care Technologies Co., Ltd., which was established in 2015 and engages in the purchase, sale, and inspection of second-hand IT devices for corporate clients in Japan and overseas. In 2024, Marubeni made an investment in IOSYS Holdings Co., Ltd., thereby also entering the consumer IT device reuse business in Japan.
Founded in 1996, IOSYS has been consistently involved in the IT device reuse business for over 30 years. Its strengths lie in its consumer sales network of 13 Japan locations and an e-commerce website, its abundant inventory, and its stable procurement capabilities. Additionally, IOSYS has built an internal system for inspecting devices and data erasure at its own facilities and, through the provision of services such as the purchase, sale, and rental of IT devices for business use, has earned strong support from not only consumers but also corporate clients.
Under its Mid-Term Management Strategy (GC2027), Marubeni is focusing on strategic platform businesses that offer “Growth Potential × High Added Value × Scalability.” Through this Transaction, in the growing IT device reuse market, Marubeni will leverage its partner network and business foundation to develop a high value-added IT device reuse business for both consumers and corporate clients in Japan. Marubeni will also further expand its IT device reuse business by enhancing the value added through the diversification of its product lineup and the expansion of related services, such as product warranties and rental services, thereby providing solutions tailored to diverse customer needs.
*“Used Smartphone Market Trends and Forecasts” by MM Research Institute, Ltd.; Marubeni estimates are based on data of number of used devices collected as disclosed by telecommunications carriers, and data on the number of recycled devices published by Mobile Recycling Network (MRN) (including exports from Japan).**Persistence Market Research report “Global & Europe Refurbished and Used Mobile Phones Market.”
Related News Release:・April 4, 2024Investment in IOSYS, a Company Engaged in the Purchase and Sale of Smartphones and Other Deviceshttps://www.marubeni.com/en/news/2024/release/00021.html
