Mercari Japan Accepts Payments in Bitcoin

Mercari Japan trading platform accepts payment in Bitcoin

According to a report from Nikkei news site, Mercari will begin processing Bitcoin payments through its Melcoin subsidiary, headquartered in Tokyo, from June 2024.

Specifically, Melcoin will convert Bitcoin payments from customers to Yen. This means that sellers on Mercari will still receive fiat money as usual, while buyers will have the additional option of paying in Bitcoin.

Mercari was founded in 2013 and is one of the most popular trading platforms in Japan. By July 2023, the exchange said it had about 22 million monthly users.

Combined with competitor Rakuten, Mercari is considered one of the main “gateways” for Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies to enter the Japanese market. These commercial giants have in recent years been actively promoting Bitcoin adoption and usage.

In recent months, Mercari has launched multiple cryptocurrency-related products, including Mercari Bitcoin crypto trading, which allows users to buy and sell Bitcoin from sales on the platform. Additionally, Mercari has also developed a loyalty reward points system, allowing users to exchange their points for Bitcoin.

In June last year, Mercari announced that about 80% of its users had no previous experience trading cryptocurrency. However, this number has improved by the end of 2022. A recent survey showed that many Japanese people started participating in cryptocurrency trading, mainly through the Mercari Bitcoin service and the Rakuten application Rakuten Wallet.