Mercari Goes Crypto: Japan’s E-Commerce Giant Adds Bitcoin Payments and XRP Trading

Mercari—the flea-market app that ate Japan—just dropped two bombshells: Bitcoin payments go live next month, and XRP trading hits its fintech arm this summer. The move makes them the first major e-commerce player in Japan to embrace crypto since the FSA tightened exchange rules post-FTX.

Why now? Observers point to Mercari’s 10% user slump last quarter—turns out selling used socks isn’t recession-proof. The XRP listing reeks of desperation (Ripple’s legal team must be popping champagne), but Bitcoin integration could actually stick if they slash those ludicrous 5% credit card fees.

Bonus jab: Nothing says ’financial innovation’ like a company best known for secondhand Gucci belts suddenly pivoting to blockchain. At least they didn’t announce a metaverse division—yet.

How It Works:

The platform’s flea market-style app will continue displaying product prices in Japanese yen, but with the added option to pay in Bitcoin. Sellers, however, will still receive their payments in yen, thanks to the real-time conversion of Bitcoin into local currency via Melcoin’s exchange partner. 

By introducing crypto payments, Mercari is stepping into the growing world of digital currency without making things complicated for its sellers.

Adding XRP follows the success of their Bitcoin and Ethereum trading features. Now, users can buy and sell XRP using Mercari points or Merpay balances, which makes the process more accessible for beginners, particularly since about 90% of users are new to crypto.

Mercari isn’t the only company in Japan jumping on the cryptocurrency bandwagon. Rakuten, another major e-commerce platform, has already embraced crypto for some time now. Users can even convert loyalty points into digital currencies. With both of these platforms leading the way, Japan is really at the forefront of bringing crypto into people’s daily lives.

Also Read: CME Group to Launch XRP Futures on May 19