SHIB enters the world of physical coins in Japan! What are Rakuten’s real objectives?

Japan-based crypto platform Rakuten Wallet has announced plans to produce physical commemorative coins for Shiba Inu (SHIB). These metal SHIB coins, which will join the company’s earlier “Real Coin” lineup featuring Bitcoin, Ethereum, and XRP, are set to be given away for free at offline events and exhibition booths across the country.

SHIB marketing goes offline

Rakuten Wallet aims to leverage these physical coins as innovative promotional tools that encourage personal interaction. The company’s goal is to reach its ecosystem of 44 million users more directly and make crypto assets easier to understand for Japan’s mainstream retail audience. As one of the country’s largest tech and retail conglomerates, Rakuten already enjoys a significant foothold in e commerce, financial services, and payment platforms.

This move marks a new chapter in the brand’s meme token focused marketing strategy. In the past, Rakuten Wallet ran a “Photo Contest 2026” on X (formerly Twitter), distributing digital SHIB and DOGE to users who shared dog photos. Now, the company is complementing its online efforts with tangible promotions. The firm believes that introducing metal keepsake coins could help cautious Japanese consumers become more comfortable with crypto assets.

To further lock users into its ecosystem, Rakuten Wallet has also integrated SHIB into the Rakuten Pay payment system. This means SHIB can now be used as a payment option at 5 million retail partner locations nationwide.

Competition with Mercari intensifies

Rakuten’s latest initiative raises the stakes in its rivalry with Mercari, another Japanese retail giant, and its crypto arm, Mercoin. Mercari previously integrated SHIB into its peer to peer app, allowing 23 million customers to buy tokens with a minimum investment of just 1 yen. Customers are free to use loyalty points or funds earned from second hand sales for their purchases.

According to Mercoin’s financial reports, this model has attracted 4 million users—a figure that represents about 30% of all crypto accounts in Japan. Notably, 85% of these users were introduced to digital assets for the first time through this platform.

Regulatory green light shifts market dynamics

The flurry of SHIB centric promotions from Japan’s biggest retailers is transforming the landscape of the local crypto market. For years, crypto in Japan was dominated by specialized exchanges, but mainstream commercial platforms with large customer bases are now driving much of the growth and adoption.

Much of this change can be attributed to a key regulatory milestone. When Japan’s Virtual and Crypto assets Exchange Association (JVCEA) officially recognized SHIB as an approved asset in November 2025, it cleared the way for broader commercial and promotional usage of the token.

This shift signals that major corporations are now positioning low cost meme tokens not only as investment assets but also as tools for digital promotions and customer loyalty programs.

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