Mercari to Accept Bitcoin (BTC) Payments Starting in June 2025

Mercari, one of Japan's top e-commerce platforms, is shaking up the crypto scene. Starting in June 2025, users will be able to buy items listed on the site using Bitcoin (BTC), as the company integrates cryptocurrency payments through its crypto exchange subsidiary, Melcoin. By introducing crypto payments, Mercari is stepping into the growing world of digital currency without making things complicated for its sellers.

Major e-commerce platform in Japan, Mercari, is set to introduce Bitcoin (BTC) payments on its platform starting June 2025, the company announced. The company will be integrating cryptocurrency payments through its crypto exchange subsidiary, Melcoin.

How Mercari's Bitcoin Integration 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. However, sellers will still receive their payments in yen. This will be done by converting Bitcoin into local currency using Melcoin’s exchange partner.

The move brings the e-commerce platform into the growing world of digital currency without making things complicated for its sellers.

The company has been gradually adding cryptocurrency features to its platform in anticipation of this launch. Mercari, which has more than 22 million active users every month, is one of the biggest e-commerce platforms in Japan for consumer-to-consumer transactions.

Recently, the company has made a strong push to introduce digital currencies in different ways. For example, they launched Bitcoin trading services in March 2023 and followed it up by adding Ethereum (ETH). By making crypto more accessible to regular users, Mercari seems set on driving wider adoption, and the addition of Bitcoin payments could be the next step in driving that growth.

Japan, which is known for its crypto-friendly regulations, has seen a rising interest in digital currencies. This could inspire more users to begin using Bitcoin and even XRP.

The company recently added XRP trading through its Mercoin exchange, following its expansion into Ethereum trading last year. This is another significant milestone in Mercari's increasing involvement with cryptocurrency.

The addition of XRP follows the successful launch of Bitcoin and Ethereum trading features on the exchange earlier this year. Now, users can buy and sell XRP using Mercari points or Merpay balances, which makes the process more accessible for beginners, especially since about 90% of users are new to crypto.

Mercari isn't the only company in Japan that is integrating cryptocurrency into its services. Rakuten, another major e-commerce platform in the country, has already been offering cryptocurrency services for some time now. Users can even convert loyalty points into digital currencies on the platform.

Both platforms are paving the way for a broader adoption of crypto in Japan, pushing the industry towards a future where Bitcoin and other digital currencies are seamlessly integrated into people's daily lives.