Rakuten launches XRP payments for 44 million users in Japan

Rakuten now lets users in Japan convert loyalty points to XRP, trade it in-app, and spend at over 5 million merchants, connecting XRP to 44 million users and $23B in points.

Rakuten has introduced a major integration, enabling users in Japan to convert Rakuten loyalty points into XRP, trade the cryptocurrency within the app, and spend it at over 5 million merchant locations nationwide. This rollout connects XRP to Rakuten Pay’s vast consumer base of 44 million users, making $23 billion worth of loyalty points redeemable for the digital asset. The integration is one of the largest retail deployments of XRP, significantly expanding its real-world utility beyond trading. Users can seamlessly convert points to XRP within Rakuten Wallet and spend through Rakuten Pay, removing the need for external wallets or blockchain transactions at checkout. Social media sentiment around XRP has surged, with many viewing this as a turning point for mainstream crypto adoption in Japan. Rakuten is also offering promotional rewards for early XRP purchases, positioning XRP as a practical payment method in Japan’s retail economy.