Rakuten Wallet has taken SHIB marketing beyond digital campaigns and into physical spaces. The company is distributing SHIB-themed commemorative coins at offline events in Japan, using tangible promotional items to encourage face-to-face engagement and introduce crypto assets to a broader retail audience across its 44 million-user ecosystem.
The move adds a new layer to Rakuten’s meme-token strategy. The group already has deep reach across e-commerce, financial services, and payments, and Rakuten Wallet had previously promoted SHIB through online campaigns such as its “Photo Contest 2026” on X, where users who shared dog photos received digital SHIB and DOGE. Physical keepsake coins now extend that campaign style into the real world.
SHIB Added to Rakuten Pay Network
Rakuten Wallet is pairing promotion with utility. SHIB has also been integrated into the Rakuten Pay system, allowing the token to be used as a payment option across 5 million retail partner locations nationwide, according to the source material.
The company’s stated aim is to make crypto easier to understand for Japan’s mainstream consumers, especially those still cautious about the sector. In that context, the metal coins are being used as promotional tools rather than investment products, with the idea that a physical object may help lower the barrier to first contact.
Competition With Mercari Is Getting Harder
Rakuten’s latest push also sharpens its competition with Mercari and its crypto unit, Mercoin. Mercari had already brought SHIB into its peer-to-peer app, letting 23 million customers buy tokens with a minimum investment of just 1 yen. Users can pay with loyalty points or funds earned from second-hand sales.
Mercoin’s financial reports say that model has attracted 4 million users, equal to about 30% of all crypto accounts in Japan. The source also says 85% of those users were introduced to digital assets for the first time through the platform. That suggests user acquisition is shifting away from specialist exchanges and toward commercial apps with built-in consumer traffic.
Approval in 2025 Opened the Door for Wider SHIB Use
The broader backdrop is regulatory. According to the article, a major change came in November 2025, when Japan’s Virtual and Crypto assets Exchange Association, JVCEA, officially recognized SHIB as an approved asset. That decision opened the way for wider commercial use and promotional campaigns built around the token.
Japan’s crypto market was long led by dedicated exchanges. Now, large consumer platforms are driving much of the growth in access and adoption. For companies such as Rakuten and Mercari, low-cost meme tokens are being positioned not only as investable assets, but also as tools for digital promotions and customer loyalty programs.