Mercoin, a Japanese crypto services provider and subsidiary of Mercari Inc., has recently expanded its offerings by adding support for XRP. This marks the third cryptocurrency listed on the platform and the first that is deeply integrated into a widely adopted financial ecosystem in Japan.
Users Can Now Buy XRP for Just 1 Yen
As reported by Coinpost, Mercoin will begin handling XRP starting April 24. Users can now purchase XRP for 1 yen, equivalent to about $0.007, using payment methods like bank recharge balances, Merpay sales, and even Mercari points.
Mercoin launched Bitcoin trading in March 2023 and added Ethereum in May 2024. By December 2024, it had surpassed 3 million users and recorded the highest number of new crypto account openings in the industry.
Emi Yoshikawa, the former Vice President of Strategic Initiatives at Ripple, praised Mercoin’s XRP listing. According to her, this is a major step in bringing crypto to Japan’s mainstream.
Mercoin Aims For Safe and Secure Crypto Trading
She explains that it’s a big deal for XRP to be supported on Mercari, since it’s Japan’s biggest resale app and has over 20 million users every month. Over 3 million users trade crypto on Mercari, with 90% being first-time traders.
Mercoin strives to make crypto trading simple and secure for beginners, with a user-friendly service design. By adding XRP, the company is expanding trading opportunities for users, making virtual currencies more accessible alongside BTC and Ether.
For the unversed, XRP already has a strong presence in Japan through Ripple’s key partner SBI Holdings, whose crypto arms have promoted XRP for cross-border payments, liquidity, and even car purchases.
Japan’s Mercoin adds support to XRP, starting April 24.
This could be a major boost to Japan’s crypto space given Mercoin’s massive user base and appeal to new users. XRP is widely used in Japan, supported by Ripple’s partnership with SBI Holdings for payments and liquidity.
