What Waka does

Waka (Công ty Cổ phần Sách điện tử Waka) is a Hanoi-based Vietnamese digital publishing and e-commerce platform founded in 2019, operating as a licensed electronic publisher and online bookstore. The company offers a multi-format digital library of 20,000+ ebooks, audiobooks, comics, and interactive books accessible via web (waka.vn) and cross-platform iOS/Android mobile apps, alongside a physical book e-commerce marketplace (Waka Shop) with nationwide delivery through J&T Express. Its go-to-market is product-led and self-serve, driving acquisition through book reviews, flash sales, discount coupons (up to 50%), and free-shipping promotions.

The business monetizes through four revenue streams: recurring subscription memberships (Hội viên) granting unlimited access to the library; one-time purchases of individual titles and combo bundles; marketplace commissions from third-party sellers operating via the Seller Portal (seller.waka.vn); and professional publishing services (Dịch vụ Xuất bản) for authors and self-publishers using the Sáng tác writing platform. Customer segments include general consumer readers (primary), youth and students via the Youth Bookshelf sub-brand, business professionals via the Business Bookshelf at biz.waka.vn, and third-party publishers/booksellers using the marketplace.

Waka holds official regulatory licenses for electronic publishing distribution and mobile content services, and pursues ecosystem expansion through partnerships (e.g., the April 2026 cooperation with Quỹ Vì tuổi trẻ vùng cao và hải đảo) and product launches (Waka 4.0). Payment processing runs through VNPT EPAY with PCI DSS compliance via CMS Cyber Security. The company is privately held as a joint-stock company with no identified external venture or private equity backing, and operates exclusively in the Vietnam market.

Name

Waka

Legal name

Công ty Cổ phần Sách điện tử Waka

Website

https://waka.vn

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Waka is a Hanoi-based Vietnamese digital publishing and e-commerce platform offering 20,000+ licensed ebooks, audiobooks, and comics via subscription and marketplace models to consumers, youth, business professionals, and third-party book sellers across Vietnam.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Digital Publishing Platform

NAICS

Book Publishers (51313), Book Retailers and News Dealers (4592), Newspaper, Periodical, Book, and Directory Publishers (5131)

SIC

Books: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2731), Miscellaneous Publishing (2741)

akta.pro primary industry

eBook & Digital Reading Platforms (BPAMAJAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

E-book Subscription & Bundling Services (MPAJAMAB), Audiobook Retail & Subscription Platforms (Direct-to-Consumer) (MPAJAIAD), Digital Books & Audiobooks Retail (E-books/Audiobooks) (CRALAAAI)

Keywords

• Digital book library
• Ebook subscription platform
• Audiobook streaming service
• Online book marketplace
• Self-publishing platform

Headquarters

HQ city

Hanoi

HQ country

Vietnam

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

Operations, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Subscription (Hội viên): Members pay subscription fees for unlimited access to 20,000+ ebooks, audiobooks, and comics. The platform offers tiered membership with various content access levels.
2. Individual Book Sales: Customers can purchase individual books (physical and digital) at retail prices. Both single-copy purchases and combo deals are available.
3. Marketplace Commission: Third-party sellers can open stores on Waka Shop to sell books. Waka earns commissions on transactions facilitated through the platform.
4. Publishing Services: Waka offers publishing services (Dịch vụ Xuất bản) for authors and content creators to publish their own books through the platform.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Waka operates Vietnam's leading digital book library offering subscription-based access to 20,000+ licensed ebooks, audiobooks, comics, and interactive books via web and mobile apps. The company also runs Waka Shop, an e-commerce marketplace for physical books with nationwide delivery, and provides self-publishing services for authors and content creators.

Product overview

Waka operates as a comprehensive digital publishing and e-commerce ecosystem combining a content platform with marketplace functionality. The core Waka Thư Viện Sách Điện Tử provides digital library services through multiple product modules: ebooks (Sách điện tử), audiobooks (Sách nói), comics (Truyện tranh), interactive books (Sách tương tác), summary books (Sách tóm tắt), member-exclusive books (Sách hội viên), and free books (Sách miễn phí). The Waka Shop serves as an e-commerce marketplace for physical book sales with nationwide delivery, while the Seller Portal enables third-party vendors to operate on the platform. Supporting services include a publishing service (Dịch vụ Xuất bản) for author self-publishing, a dedicated writing platform (Sáng tác), and specialized sub-brands including the Youth Bookshelf (Tủ sách Thanh niên) and Business Bookshelf (Tủ sách doanh nghiệp). The Waka 4.0 mobile app unifies reading and shopping experiences across iOS and Android.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Waka Membership (Hội viên) Subscription membership offering unlimited reading and listening access to 20,000+ licensed ebooks, audiobooks, comics, and interactive books for individual Vietnamese consumers. Members access content via web and mobile apps.
• Waka Shop E-commerce marketplace for purchasing physical books online with fast nationwide delivery (2-7 days), authorized seller platform serving Vietnamese book consumers.
• Dịch vụ Xuất bản (Publishing Service) End-to-end book publishing service for authors and content creators to self-publish their works on the Waka platform, including distribution through the digital library.
• Seller Portal (Kênh Người bán) Seller management platform enabling third-party vendors to list books, manage inventory, process orders, and handle promotions on the Waka Shop e-commerce marketplace.
• Waka 4.0 Mobile App Cross-platform mobile application (iOS/Android) supporting ebook reading, audiobook playback, and e-commerce transactions with a unified user experience across the Waka ecosystem.
• Tủ sách doanh nghiệp (Business Bookshelf) Dedicated business and professional content collection targeting enterprise and professional readers in Vietnam, accessible via biz.waka.vn.

Quantifiable outcome

• 20,000+ licensed digital books available

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Quỹ Vì tuổi trẻ vùng cao và hải đảo (formerly Quỹ học bổng Vừ A Dính)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 April 2026Waka signed a cooperation agreement with the Foundation for Youth in High Mountains and Islands (formerly Vừ A Dính Scholarship Fund) to create the 'Tủ sách Biển Đảo' (Sea and Island Book Collection) within Waka's Youth Book Ecosystem. The partnership also includes launching a creative writing contest 'Tình yêu quê hương - Biển đảo' (Love for Homeland - Sea and Islands).

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Vinabook: Vietnamese online bookstore competing in the same ebook/physical book retail category with similar licensed content and nationwide delivery.
• Fahasa: Vietnam's largest bookstore chain with a strong online presence and nationwide fulfillment for physical books, plus a growing digital shelf — directly comparable to Waka Shop in offline+online book retail for Vietnamese consumers.
• Tiki (books vertical): Major Vietnamese e-commerce marketplace with one of the largest book categories, including licensed ebook inventory. Directly competes with Waka Shop on consumer book sales in Vietnam.

Emerging players

• Scribd: Global ebook/audiobook/comic subscription platform with a similar 'unlimited reading' (Sách hội viên) model — comparable to Waka's subscription product (Gói cước) and digital library positioning.
• Storytel: Audiobook-focused subscription platform with an unlimited listening model — directly parallels Waka's Sách nói (audiobook) subscription module.
• Rakuten Kobo: Global ebook/audiobook retailer and subscription service offering licensed digital content across web and mobile — comparable on multi-format digital reading and cross-device apps.

Broad incumbents

• Shopee Books (Vietnam vertical): Large Southeast Asian marketplace with a substantial books category in Vietnam — competes with Waka Shop on third-party book seller economics and customer reach.
• Kindle Unlimited (Amazon): Global ebook subscription service from Amazon — the benchmark unlimited-reading model against which Waka's Gói cước subscription competes at concept level.
• Audible (Amazon): Largest global audiobook retail and subscription platform; serves as the broad incumbent benchmark for Waka's Sách nói product module and subscription packaging.

Regional players

• Ybook (Ybook.vn): Smaller Vietnamese reading platform offering licensed ebooks and audiobooks in a similar subscription/retail mix — a direct regional competitor to Waka's content platform.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Waka