Rakuten’s latest move has pushed XRP back into focus as retail adoption gains traction across Japan’s digital payments ecosystem. Following the integration, users can now convert loyalty points into XRP and spend the asset across millions of merchants, effectively linking everyday transactions with blockchain-based value transfer in a seamless and accessible manner.
According to Santiment on X, this development has fueled a noticeable surge in online optimism, with XRP recording its second-highest bullish sentiment level in the past two years. The analytics firm emphasized that while traders are reacting strongly to the announcement, the broader market impact often develops gradually after the initial wave of excitement fades and sentiment stabilizes.
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Rakuten expands XRP utility across payments and loyalty ecosystem
Rakuten Wallet has introduced XRP trading and payment features within its mobile platform, allowing users to convert loyalty points into XRP directly through the application interface. Additionally, customers can spend XRP at more than five million merchant locations across Japan, as transactions rely on QR code systems already embedded within Rakuten’s extensive retail and payments infrastructure.
Moreover, this rollout significantly expands XRP’s reach among everyday consumers, especially considering that Rakuten Pay serves millions of active users who engage with its services regularly. Consequently, the integration connects XRP with a loyalty ecosystem that holds trillions of points in circulation, which are collectively valued in billions of dollars and can now flow into crypto markets through direct conversion.
Furthermore, RippleX described the rollout as one of the largest retail-level deployments of XRP to date, highlighting its potential to strengthen the asset’s role within real-world payment environments.
Sentiment surge builds while price response remains delayed
However, Santiment explained that developments of this nature rarely lead to immediate price rallies, as market reactions often require time to mature after sentiment-driven excitement begins to settle. According to Santiment, traders typically drive early volatility during major announcements, which can delay sustained price movement until speculative activity declines and more stable demand patterns emerge.
Additionally, Rakuten Wallet has introduced promotional incentives to encourage early participation, as users purchasing certain XRP amounts can receive rewards in XRP value, which may support initial engagement and adoption momentum. Rakuten’s integration has amplified XRP visibility and boosted sentiment to a two-year high, although price impact remains gradual as markets continue absorbing the development.
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