Rakuten Wallet adds XRP payments

Rakuten Wallet began offering XRP on Wednesday, letting customers buy and sell the token and turn it into spending money inside Rakuten’s payments network. (rakuten-wallet.co.jp) The rollout started on April 15 and added five tokens to Rakuten Wallet’s spot trading service: XRP, Dogecoin, Stellar Lumens, Shiba Inu and Toncoin. Rakuten said XRP can also be exchanged for Rakuten Points, the loyalty currency used across its shopping and finance apps. (rakuten-wallet.co.jp) Customers who hold crypto in Rakuten Wallet can charge Rakuten Cash, Rakuten’s online money balance, and then spend through the Rakuten Pay app at stores. Rakuten Payment says Rakuten Cash is already usable both at physical merchants through the app and across Rakuten’s own online services. (rakuten-wallet.co.jp) (payment.rakuten.co.jp) Rakuten’s move puts XRP inside a consumer system that already runs on points, app payments and stored-value balances, instead of limiting the token to a trading screen. CoinDesk reported the feature reaches one of Japan’s largest loyalty programs and starts with XRP purchases using Rakuten Points on April 15. (coindesk.com) (rakuten-wallet.co.jp) The launch also comes as Rakuten keeps expanding the reach of its points system. Rakuten Group said in November 2025 that cumulative Rakuten Point issuance had passed 5 trillion points. (corp.rakuten.co.jp) XRP is the token tied to the XRP Ledger, a blockchain network built for moving value quickly between accounts. Rakuten’s release described XRP as a token with expected use in payments and remittances and said customer demand was one reason for adding it. (rakuten-wallet.co.jp) Rakuten paired the listing with a monthlong promotion aimed specifically at XRP buyers. From April 15 through May 15 at 9:59 a.m. Japan time, customers who buy at least 30,000 yen worth of spot XRP get 500 yen worth of XRP, and those who buy at least 100,000 yen worth get 1,500 yen worth plus entry into a drawing for five prizes worth 100,000 yen each. (rakuten-wallet.co.jp) Japan has been one of the more structured large markets for consumer crypto services, with exchange operators working inside licensing and payments rules rather than outside them. Rakuten framed the XRP launch as part of a broader push to expand tradable assets while keeping crypto connected to the rest of its financial ecosystem. (rakuten-wallet.co.jp) (global.rakuten.com) For Rakuten users, the immediate change is simple: a point balance, a crypto wallet and a checkout app now connect more directly on one platform. (rakuten-wallet.co.jp)