Rakuten Wallet, the digital asset platform operated by Japanese e-commerce and fintech giant Rakuten, has announced a major integration with XRP. Starting April 15, 2026, users can purchase XRP directly using Rakuten points and convert it into spendable balance (Rakuten Cash) to pay at over 5 million merchant locations nationwide. The move unlocks access for approximately 44 million active Rakuten Pay users and taps into a pool of over 3 trillion Rakuten points (valued at roughly USD 230 billion) that can now flow into digital assets.
Bridging Loyalty Points and Digital Payments
Tatsuya Kohrogi, Senior Director of Ecosystem Growth at Ripple, announced the news on social media platform X, calling it “without a doubt one of the most significant milestones for XRP.” He explained that the integration allows users to buy XRP with Rakuten points, then recharge their Rakuten Cash with XRP to spend at millions of stores across Japan. “This is not a native crypto app—this is Japan’s everyday commerce platform putting XRP into the hands of people who have never thought about crypto before,” Kohrogi said.
With over 100 million Rakuten members overall and a colossal stock of 3 trillion points (roughly USD 23 billion equivalent), the platform creates a massive new on-ramp for cryptocurrency adoption. “Points become purchasing power,” Kohrogi added. “Users can convert Rakuten points directly into XRP. With over 3 trillion points issued, there’s a massive reservoir of value that can now flow into digital assets.”
Why This Integration Matters
Rakuten is one of Japan’s most trusted consumer brands, and its payment infrastructure already handles a huge share of domestic retail transactions. By embedding XRP into its loyalty and payments ecosystem, Rakuten effectively turns XRP into a real-world currency that can be used at millions of physical and online stores—without requiring users to learn complex crypto wallets or decentralized apps.
Kohrogi emphasized the scale: “Spend XRP in the real world—over 5 million merchants in Japan accept Rakuten Pay. XRP is now a currency that can be spent throughout the Rakuten ecosystem. That’s real-world utility at a scale rarely seen in crypto.” The integration also allows users to convert XRP back into point value, creating a two-way liquidity bridge between traditional loyalty rewards and digital assets.
Industry observers note that this model could set a precedent for other Asian tech conglomerates. Unlike standalone crypto payment schemes, leveraging an existing loyalty and payments network dramatically lowers the barrier for mainstream consumers. The Japanese Financial Services Agency (JFSA) has been steadily refining its crypto regulatory framework, and moves like Rakuten’s signal that compliant, user-friendly integrations are gaining traction.
Market Response and Broader Implications
Following the announcement, XRP’s price rose approximately 6% within 24 hours, and trading volumes increased significantly. Institutional interest in XRP is also heating up: data from Evernorth and other analysts shows accelerating inflows into XRP exchange-traded funds (ETFs), indicating a shift from passive speculation to active institutional participation. However, the real long-term value of this integration will be measured by actual daily payment volumes—how many Rakuten users actually convert points to XRP and use it at checkout.
Ripple has long pursued partnerships with banks and payment providers in the Asia-Pacific region. The Rakuten Wallet integration is arguably its most tangible success in embedding XRP into a consumer retail loop that combines acquisition (buying XRP) and spending (using XRP). If adoption scales, it could serve as a blueprint for similar wallets and loyalty programs worldwide.
In summary, Rakuten has opened a gateway for 44 million Japanese consumers to move seamlessly from loyalty points to digital assets, while granting XRP access to one of the largest retail payment networks globally. As Kohrogi put it: “Rakuten is one of the most trusted consumer brands in Japan. Having XRP now integrated into its loyalty and payments infrastructure is a clear signal of where digital asset adoption is headed.” This milestone may indeed prove to be a “turning point” for crypto payments in the real economy.