Amazon-Rival Rakuten Forms Blockchain Lab

Japanese e-commerce giant Rakuten has integrated its US site with bitcoin payment processor Bitnet, enabling customers in America to pay with the digital currency. Often considered a rival to Amazon, Rakuten has also confirmed plans to roll out bitcoin integration to both its German and Austrian e-commerce sites. Yaz Iida, president of Rakuten USA, said the company's mission was to "empower the world through the Internet". He added: "Not only can bitcoin support this vision by helping our merchants to compete globally, but it also has the potential to benefit society by enhancing the....

E-commerce giant Rakuten has acquired the IP assets of the Bitnet payment platform and opened a blockchain lab in Belfast, U.K. Rakuten Blockchain Lab (RBL) will be a research and development organization focused on blockchain technology and its applications to fintech and e-commerce. Rakuten invested in Bitnet Technologies Ltd., a blockchain-powered digital payments platform, in 2014. Rakuten began accepting bitcoin payments last year using Bitnet, CCN reported. Rakuten.com is similar to Amazon in that it serves as a platform for multiple merchants, all of whom have been able to accept....

The firm Rakuten Inc., often referred to as “the Amazon of Japan,” announced customers can now load up Rakuten Pay accounts with cryptocurrencies like bitcoin, ethereum, and bitcoin cash. In order to commemorate the latest crypto service, Rakuten is also offering bonus points to people leveraging “Rakuten Cash” via crypto assets. Crypto Can Pay for Rakuten Goods and Services, Alongside Mister Donut, Familymart, and McDonald’s The massive Japanese electronic commerce and online retail company based in Tokyo is now allowing crypto users to leverage the....

Bitcoin will be on the agenda in Japan next month at 'Financial Conference 2015' - an event being held by online retail giant Rakuten in conjunction with other firms. The Japanese multinational and Amazon rival will host the one-day event in Tokyo on 23rd February, the first such event in the company's history. Notably, Xapo CEO Wences Casares and Bitnet CEO John McDonnell both appear on the speakers list alongside PayPal founder Peter Thiel and MasterCard's James Anderson. One session is a panel discussion titled 'The Rise of Bitcoin'. Local lawyer So Saito, of advocacy group the Japan....

“Rakuten’s mission is to empower the world through the Internet,” commented Yaz Iida, President of Rakuten USA. “Not only can bitcoin support this vision by helping our merchants better compete globally, but it also has the potential to benefit society by enhancing the security, privacy, and convenience of financial transactions.” Rakuten, a giant in Japan’s business world, will now allow US customers to pay for items on its website, Rakuten.com (formerly buy.com), which offers almost everything one could think to buy. From kitchen appliances, office supplies, videos games, books and more,....