Rakuten Adds XRP, Links Token to 44 Million Users

Rakuten Wallet will add XRP for spot trading on April 15 and allow users to convert Rakuten Points directly into the token without a fiat deposit. After conversion, holders can move value into Rakuten Cash and use Rakuten Pay at merchant locations across Japan.

The listing was announced alongside four other tokens: Stellar (XLM), Dogecoin (DOGE), Shiba Inu (SHIB) and Toncoin (TON). Rakuten Wallet said all five assets will support conversion with Rakuten Points.

Rakuten Points is Japan’s largest loyalty program. The company has issued more than 3 trillion points, with an estimated value of about $23 billion. Rakuten Pay serves roughly 44 million users and is accepted at about 5 million merchant locations in Japan.

To mark the XRP listing, Rakuten Wallet launched a promotional campaign that offers up to ¥100,000 in XRP rewards for qualifying purchases through May 15.

The integration creates a path from loyalty points to cryptocurrency to retail payments. Users can convert points to XRP, transfer the token value into Rakuten Cash and pay at merchants that accept Rakuten Pay.

On markets, XRP traded near $1.37 ahead of the April 15 listing. The token has been trading inside a descending triangle pattern that has shaped price action since February. Immediate resistance is around $1.40, with $1.45 cited as a level that would indicate a stronger recovery. A daily candlestick close above $1.43 would signal that the bearish pattern has been invalidated and could open the way to higher prices.

Support for XRP is near $1.29. A break below that level could increase selling pressure. Commentary from market observers advises waiting for a daily close below $1.31 before entering new short positions.

How widely the new conversion and payment flow is used will determine whether the listing affects XRP demand. Rakuten Wallet is part of the Rakuten Group, which operates e-commerce, financial and digital services across Japan.