Mercari, a prominent Japanese e-commerce platform, has made headlines with its recent initiative to distribute Bitcoin (BTC) as part of a promotional effort. In a recent press release by Mercari's crypto arm, Mercoin, the company introduced an 'invitation campaign' to promote its Bitcoin trading services.

The campaign, scheduled to run until the end of July, aims to encourage Mercari users to invite others to join the platform. Both the individuals extending invitations and those receiving them will each receive 200 yen worth of Bitcoin (equivalent to approximately $0.12) for every invitee. Notably, there is no set limit on the number of individuals users can invite, and a bonus of 200 yen in Bitcoin can also be obtained by using a special signup code.

To generate excitement around the launch of its BTC services, Mercari enlisted popular personalities such as former professional wrestler Riki Choshu and actress-singer Haruka Shimazaki in a promotional commercial.

Despite entering the Japanese cryptocurrency exchange sector relatively late, Mercari has witnessed remarkable success since delving into BTC and cryptocurrencies. According to Japan's CoinPost, Mercari's crypto trading service has attracted the highest number of new cryptocurrency users in the industry, surpassing 2.2 million users as of May 30.

Statistics from the Japan Virtual and Cryptoassets Exchange Association reveal that a notable 61.5% of new crypto wallets created between March 2023 and March 2024 were established on the Mercari platform.

While Mercari introduced its Bitcoin trading services in March 2023, the company has recently integrated these offerings with its core online flea market operations. In a strategic move, Mercari enabled customers to utilize their Bitcoin holdings for purchasing goods on the platform earlier this year.

In addition to BTC trading, Mercari has extended its services to encompass Ethereum (ETH) trading. In May, the company launched a feature enabling customers to convert their loyalty points into Ethereum tokens, further broadening its crypto offerings. Moreover, vendors on the platform now have the option to receive ETH instead of traditional fiat currency upon completing transactions.

Mercoin attributes the substantial rise in new crypto wallet registrations to expanding the reach of cryptocurrencies to a previously untapped customer segment. The company expressed optimism that the ongoing campaign will facilitate the growth of the Bitcoin trading community.