Mercari, the prominent Japanese e-commerce player, has unveiled a unique promotional initiative where it plans to distribute Bitcoin (BTC) as part of its latest marketing push. According to a press release from Mercari published on July 1, the company’s cryptocurrency arm, Mercoin, is launching an “invitation campaign” aimed at promoting its Bitcoin trading service.
This campaign, scheduled to run until July 31, encourages Mercari users to invite others to join the platform. Participants in the campaign, both those extending invitations and those receiving them, will receive Bitcoin worth 200 yen (approximately $0.12) for each new user they successfully bring onboard. Notably, there is no limit to the number of invites one can issue. Additionally, individuals can earn 200 yen worth of Bitcoin simply by using a designated signup code.
To bolster this initiative, Mercari has aired a promotional commercial featuring prominent figures such as former professional wrestler Riki Choshu and actress-singer Haruka Shimazaki.
While Mercari entered the Japanese cryptocurrency exchange arena relatively late, its pivot towards Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies has been remarkably successful. As reported by Japan’s CoinPost, Mercari’s crypto trading service has attracted the highest number of new cryptocurrency users across the industry, surpassing 2.2 million users as of May 30.
Data from the Japan Virtual and Cryptoassets Exchange Association reveals that Mercari accounted for 61.5% of all new crypto wallets created between March 2023 and March 2024, underscoring its rapid growth in the sector. Initially introducing its Bitcoin trading services in March 2023, Mercari has since integrated these offerings closely with its core online marketplace operations. Earlier this year, the company introduced a feature allowing customers to utilize their Bitcoin holdings for purchases on the Mercari platform.
In addition to Bitcoin, Mercari has expanded its cryptocurrency offerings to include Ethereum (ETH). In May, it launched a service enabling customers to convert their loyalty points into Ethereum tokens. Furthermore, vendors on Mercari now have the option to receive ETH instead of traditional currency when completing transactions.
Mercoin attributes the surge in new crypto wallet registrations to its efforts in reaching out to customers unfamiliar with digital currencies, thereby expanding its customer base significantly.
For those interested in following Mercari’s developments, updates can be found on Google News.
