Japan’s Leading Shopping Platform Now Supports XRP Payments: Here's What That Actually Means

Starting April 15, 2026, Rakuten Wallet is adding XRP as both a listed asset and a payment method, allowing users to buy XRP with Rakuten Points and spend it at more than 5 million merchant locations across Japan.

The integration marks the first time a third-party token has been embedded directly into Rakuten's loyalty and payments infrastructure. It also connects XRP to one of Japan's largest loyalty point systems, where more than 3 trillion points, worth roughly $23 billion, are currently in circulation.

What Does the Rakuten and XRP Integration Actually Do?

Rakuten Pay, the payments app behind this integration, has 44 million users in Japan. It is not a crypto-native product. It is the everyday payments app that millions of Japanese consumers use for regular shopping, which makes this a notably wide distribution channel for XRP.

Through the new setup, users can:

• Buy XRP directly using Rakuten Points
• Load Rakuten Cash with XRP
• Spend XRP at over 5 million registered merchant locations that accept Rakuten Pay across Japan

Rakuten Cash is the platform's digital wallet balance, used for purchases across Rakuten's ecosystem. By allowing XRP to charge that balance, the integration gives the token a direct path into everyday retail transactions.

How Do Rakuten Points Connect to XRP?

Rakuten Points are Japan's most widely used loyalty currency. The system has issued more than 3 trillion points to date, equivalent to approximately $23 billion in value. Under the new arrangement, users can convert those points directly into XRP.

This is significant for XRP's real-world utility argument. Loyalty points typically sit idle or get spent on discounts. Giving users the option to convert them into a cryptocurrency that can then be spent at merchants adds a functional layer that most loyalty programs do not offer.

Rakuten's Crypto History

This is not Rakuten's first move into digital assets:

• In 2021, Rakuten announced plans to launch its own token, Rakuten Coin, intended for use within its loyalty rewards system
• In 2023, Rakuten began accepting Bitcoin, Ether, and Bitcoin Cash as payment options through its app
• The addition of XRP in 2026 expands that offering and brings a third-party token into the loyalty infrastructure for the first time.

Is Institutional Interest in XRP Growing Beyond Japan?

Yes, and the Rakuten announcement comes alongside rising institutional activity around XRP in the United States. Goldman Sachs recently became the largest disclosed holder of spot XRP exchange-traded fund (ETF) shares among institutional investors.

An ETF, or exchange-traded fund, is a financial product that tracks the price of an asset and trades on traditional stock exchanges, giving investors exposure without directly holding the cryptocurrency. Several asset managers, including BlackRock, Bitwise, Canary, and Franklin, have filed for or launched spot XRP ETFs.

The combination of retail access through Rakuten in Japan and institutional product development in the U.S. reflects growing interest in XRP across different market segments.

Why Does This Matter for XRP's Real-World Utility?

XRP was originally designed by Ripple for fast, low-cost cross-border payments between financial institutions. Expanding its use into consumer retail payments in Japan is a different use case, but one that adds to the argument that XRP can function as a spendable currency, not just a speculative asset.

Rakuten's scale makes the example concrete. With 5.6 trillion yen in annual e-commerce gross merchandise value (GMV) flowing through its platform, even a small fraction of transactions involving XRP would represent meaningful volume.

What the Numbers Show

• 44 million Rakuten Pay users
• 5 million-plus merchant locations accepting Rakuten Pay in Japan
• 3 trillion-plus loyalty points, worth roughly $23 billion, now convertible to XRP
• 5.6 trillion yen in annual e-commerce GMV across Rakuten's platform

Conclusion

Rakuten's integration of XRP adds Ripple's token to a consumer payments platform used by 44 million people in Japan, with access to more than 5 million merchant locations. Users can buy XRP with Rakuten Points and spend it via Rakuten Cash, connecting a major loyalty currency to a digital asset for the first time on this platform. 

The move follows Rakuten's earlier adoption of Bitcoin, Ether, and Bitcoin Cash in 2023, and comes as institutional interest in XRP through ETF products continues to grow in the United States.

Resources 

1. Tatsuya Kohrogi on X: Post on April 13

2. Report by CoinDesk: Rakuten to allow XRP to be used as payment method by its 44 million customers

3. Report by Forbes: 'Quietly Accumulating'—Goldman Sachs Revealed As Top XRP ETF Holder