The Japanese secondhand marketplace Mercari has added in-app purchase options for Shiba Inu (SHIB) and Dogecoin (DOGE). Users can buy these tokens directly using proceeds from selling secondhand items or platform points. The integration is provided by the Japanese exchange Coincheck, which uses a Crypto as a Service (CaaS) API.
The platform expands access for retail investors to buy cryptocurrencies.
Mercari is one of Japan’s largest e-commerce and secondhand trading platforms. Reports indicate that the number of encrypted accounts on the platform has exceeded 4 million, with approximately 85% opened by users who previously had no trading experience. This suggests that the addition of new cryptocurrencies is not merely an expansion of the coin list, but rather a further lowering of barriers to accessing crypto assets for its existing retail user base.
Mercari previously offered services related to crypto assets, and now has added SHIB and DOGE as directly purchasable assets within the app. According to reports, users can begin trading with as little as 1 yen, a low-entry design better suited for small, fractional purchases.
Coincheck provides underlying access.
For a platform that started with secondhand trading, this model connects “selling unused items for cash” with “conveniently purchasing crypto assets,” reducing the complexity of first-time access to the crypto market. Coincheck provides the underlying trading capabilities via API, allowing the platform to avoid building a full trading system from scratch.
Japan's regulatory classification has already been paved the way.
The report noted that SHIB's faster integration into major platforms is related to Japan's adjusted regulatory classification. The Japan Virtual and Crypto Assets Exchange Association (JVCEA) previously added SHIB to its "green list," placing it in the same compliant trading category as Bitcoin and Ethereum.
Under this framework, relevant tokens no longer need to undergo a lengthy separate review process, thereby shortening the platform listing timeline. The article also notes that Japan has adjusted its tax treatment for tokens on the green list, changing the previous progressive tax rate of up to 55% to a flat rate of 20%, which enhances the feasibility for ordinary users to participate in small-scale transactions.
SHIB continues to enter e-commerce scenarios
This integration is not an isolated move. The report notes that SHIB had previously been integrated into Rakuten’s ecosystem via the Rakuten Wallet, reaching another major Japanese e-commerce platform. As local large internet platforms gradually open their channels, meme coins are gaining increased visibility in Japan’s retail sector.
However, the article’s descriptions of user behavior are primarily based on media observations, including characterizing small-scale crypto purchases as digital collectibles. This aspect is more akin to a summary of market phenomena. In terms of actual impact, Mercari’s addition of SHIB and DOGE lies in further integrating crypto asset purchases into everyday consumer and secondhand trading workflows, expanding access points for Japanese retail investors to cryptocurrencies.