MoneyInJapan

Rakuten Pay app guide

How Rakuten Pay earns points, its up-to-2.5% stack, and the postponed March 2026 change.

Direct answers

Rakuten Pay ties to your Rakuten account and can reach up to 2.5% when you present an eligible Rakuten Point Card and meet qualifying Rakuten Cash payment conditions; the announced March 1, 2026 change was postponed.

Key points

  • Requires a Rakuten account; link a Rakuten Card to earn.
  • Up to 2.5% when presenting an eligible point card and paying via qualifying Rakuten Cash.
  • Without qualifying point-card presentation, the maximum is lower.
  • The proposed March 1, 2026 reward change was postponed — old guides are outdated.
  • Less acceptance than PayPay, but integrated with Rakuten Points.

Setup and earning

Rakuten Pay is a QR payment tied to your Rakuten account. You link a Rakuten Card (recommended) and can fund via Rakuten Cash or supported registered sources; 3-D Secure or card scanning may be required. The current program advertises up to 2.5% when an eligible Rakuten Point Card is presented and qualifying Rakuten Cash payment conditions are met; without qualifying point-card presentation, the maximum is lower. The point-card rate varies by merchant, and excluded merchants or payment sources reduce the rate.

The postponed change and comparison

A proposed March 1, 2026 reward change was postponed, so any guide assuming it took effect is outdated — verify the current terms in the app before relying on a rate. Rakuten Cash sending and receiving is supported within the app under current procedures, and invoice payment is supported (some bills do not accept point use). Compared with PayPay, Rakuten Pay has less merchant acceptance but integrates tightly with Rakuten Points, so it is strongest for Rakuten users who can combine point-card presentation and payment.

Who this is for

  • Rakuten ecosystem users

What this is not

  • People needing the widest merchant acceptance
Important cautions
  • The March 1, 2026 program change was postponed — do not rely on guides assuming it took effect.

Related products & services

Rakuten Card楽天カード

No-annual-fee credit card · Rakuten Card

English support: Partial

A no-annual-fee card that earns Rakuten Points. Eligibility, payment settings, and current reward exclusions should be checked in the issuer disclosures.

  • No annual fee for the standard card
  • Rakuten Points on eligible spending
  • Online application subject to issuer screening

Fees: No annual fee; interest applies only if you use revolving or installment payments.

Read more →Rakuten Card

Frequently asked questions

Did Rakuten Pay change its rewards on March 1, 2026?

The announced March 1, 2026 program change was postponed, not implemented, so any guide assuming it took effect is outdated. Verify the current terms in the app before relying on a rate.

What is Rakuten Pay’s current maximum store return?

Up to 2.5% at eligible point-card merchants when you present an eligible Rakuten Point Card and meet qualifying Rakuten Cash payment conditions. Without qualifying point-card presentation the maximum is lower, and the point-card rate varies by merchant.

Sources