The Japanese e-commerce giant, Rakuten, announced the incorporation of XRP to its payments ecosystem starting April 15, 2026, allowing its 44 million users to use this cryptocurrency in more than 5 million businesses in Japan through the Rakuten Pay app.
Users also They will be able to buy and sell XRP in spot trading, store it in the Rakuten Wallet and acquire it using Rakuten Pointsthe company’s loyalty system. This connects payments, rewards and crypto assets on a single platform.
The advertisement was reported by Ripple executive Tatsuya Kohrogi, who called the initiative one of the most relevant advances for the adoption of XRP. In addition, he assured through
XRP can now be used as a currency across the @Rakuten ecosystem. This demonstrates its real-world utility on a scale rarely seen in the world of cryptocurrencies.
Tatsuya Kohrogi, Ripple executive.
Starting from the date mentioned above, users will be able to purchase XRP with accumulated points, convert it into payment balance (Rakuten Cash) and use it in the affiliated trading network.
Rakuten has one of the largest digital networks in Japan, opening the door to broader adoption of cryptocurrencies in retail. In addition, there are more than 3 trillion Rakuten Points in circulation (about USD 23 billion), which could now be converted into XRP, facilitating access to the crypto market for users who have not yet invested directly in these assets.
The e-commerce company has already allowed payments with cryptocurrencies such as bitcoin, Ether and Bitcoin Cash since 2023, as reported by Criptonoticias, which would demonstrate a sustained expansion strategy in payment solutions with cryptocurrencies.