Shiba Inu Enters Rakuten Wallet Payment Network in Japan
In a significant development for the Shiba Inu (SHIB) community, Rakuten Wallet is poised to integrate the cryptocurrency into its payment network, marking a substantial foray into Japan's retail payment landscape. Although the initial rollout, slated for April 15, 2026, has been delayed, the company has confirmed that SHIB, alongside XRP and XLM, will be listed on its platform, facilitating trading against the Japanese yen. This strategic move will not only enable SHIB transactions but also seamlessly integrate the token into Rakuten's vast payment infrastructure, which currently caters to approximately 44 million registered users across Japan.
The forthcoming listing is expected to expose SHIB to a broad and diverse consumer base, with users able to purchase the token using Rakuten Points and Rakuten Cash. This innovative feature will effectively link SHIB to over five million merchant locations nationwide, thereby allowing the cryptocurrency to function within Rakuten Pay's expansive retail ecosystem. According to Shibizens, a prominent Shiba Inu-focused account, this development signifies a "direct entry into daily payments," underscoring the potential for widespread adoption.
The integration of SHIB into Rakuten's loyalty network, which boasts over $23 billion worth of circulating Rakuten Points, is anticipated to enable users to earn and spend the cryptocurrency through the points ecosystem. This convergence of digital assets and rewards infrastructure is a notable milestone, as it underscores Rakuten's commitment to bridging the gap between traditional and cryptocurrency-based payment systems.
While the listing of SHIB, XRP, and XLM on Rakuten Wallet has been delayed, the platform has assured users that a revised schedule will be published on its official website. In the interim, SHIB continues to trade on other exchanges, with its price having reached $0.000006 on April 14, before declining to $0.0000005834, representing a 0.02% decrease over the past 24 hours. Despite this short-term downturn, SHIB's price remains above its 50-day moving average of $0.00000584, with analysts identifying the $0.000006 to $0.0000062 range as a critical resistance zone. As users await the revised listing date, Rakuten Wallet has pledged to provide further updates through its official channels, ensuring that the SHIB community remains informed about this significant development.