Rakuten's XRP Integration Sends Social Sentiment Soaring

Rakuten's recent move to integrate XRP into its loyalty points system has sent shockwaves through the cryptocurrency market, driving up social sentiment to two-year highs. According to Santiment data, XRP's bullish social sentiment has reached its second-highest level in two years, fueled by the Rakuten launch.

The integration allows users in Japan to convert Rakuten Points into XRP, trade the asset in-app, and use the value through Rakuten Pay across more than 5 million merchant locations. This scale is significant, with Rakuten Pay boasting about 44 million active users and a loyalty ecosystem with over 3 trillion points in circulation, worth roughly $23 billion.

The move gives XRP a mainstream entry point outside crypto-native exchanges, providing real-world distribution and utility for the token. While the price has not yet reflected this excitement, trading volume is increasing, and the chart setup remains crucial for determining whether the Rakuten buzz will translate into a breakout.