Rakuten Integrates XRP for Payments to 44 Million Users Across Japan
Key Takeaways
- Rakuten Wallet lists XRP and enables spot trading for 44 million Rakuten Pay users.
- Users can convert about 3 trillion yen in Rakuten points into XRP.
- XRP is usable across Rakuten Pay at more than 5 million merchants.
Rakuten Integrates XRP
Rakuten has integrated XRP into its Rakuten Pay app, allowing 44 million users to spend it at more than 5 million merchant locations.
“Rakuten to allow XRP to be used as payment method by its 44 million customers Rakuten Pay users will also be able to spot trade XRP via the Rakuten Pay app and exchange the Japanese e-commerce giant’s points to purchase Ripple’s token What to know: - Rakuten is adding XRP to its Rakuten Pay app, letting 44 million users spend Ripple’s cryptocurrency at more than 5 million merchant locations across Japan”
Users will be able to buy XRP with Rakuten Points, spot trade it in the app, and hold it in their Rakuten Wallet.
The integration ties XRP into one of Japan's largest loyalty systems where more than 3 trillion points worth roughly $23 billion are in circulation.
Rakuten Wallet operates under FSA licensing and JVCEA membership.
Users never hold XRP directly at point of sale, and merchants receive yen, not crypto.
The move is being hailed as one of the most significant XRP milestones.
Loyalty Points to Crypto
The integration allows Rakuten users to convert loyalty points into XRP, breaking the traditional closed-loop of rewards.
Rakuten's broader ecosystem covers over 100 million member IDs.
This move transforms a widely used loyalty currency into a liquid cryptocurrency payment tool.
Financial technology analysts view this as a strategic play by Rakuten.
The success depends on a wide network of affiliated stores accepting XRP payments.
Market Impact and Challenges
XRP's price climbed to $1.37 driven by the Rakuten payment integration.
“Rakuten to allow XRP to be used as payment method by its 44 million customers Rakuten Pay users will also be able to spot trade XRP via the Rakuten Pay app and exchange the Japanese e-commerce giant’s points to purchase Ripple’s token What to know: - Rakuten is adding XRP to its Rakuten Pay app, letting 44 million users spend Ripple’s cryptocurrency at more than 5 million merchant locations across Japan”
Spot XRP ETFs recorded $119.6 million in weekly inflows—the highest since December 2025.
Challenges remain including cryptocurrency price volatility and the need for merchant adoption.
The integration places Rakuten at the forefront of a practical experiment.
The results will be closely watched by regulators and the global crypto industry.
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