TOKYO - Mercari subsidiary Melcoin, which operates cryptocurrency trading services, announced that it has expanded the range of cryptocurrencies available through the Mercari marketplace app.
The company has entered into a business partnership with major cryptocurrency exchange Coincheck, increasing the number of cryptocurrencies it handles from three to 15.
The move comes as the Japanese government plans to regulate cryptocurrencies as financial products. Melcoin expressed optimism that the regulatory changes will help expand the cryptocurrency market and encourage broader participation among investors.
Coincheck is one of Japan's best-known cryptocurrency exchanges. It was founded in 2012 by entrepreneurs Koichiro Wada and Yusuke Otsuka. The company grew rapidly during Japan's early cryptocurrency boom, becoming one of the country's largest exchanges.
Coincheck became internationally known in January 2018 when hackers stole approximately 58 billion yen worth of the cryptocurrency NEM from the exchange, one of the largest cryptocurrency thefts in history. The incident led to stricter regulatory scrutiny of Japan's crypto industry. Coincheck later reimbursed affected customers and strengthened its security systems.
In April 2018, the exchange was acquired by Monex Group, a major Japanese online brokerage, for about 3.6 billion yen. Under Monex ownership, Coincheck rebuilt its reputation and expanded its services, including cryptocurrency trading, NFT marketplaces, and crypto-related investment products. It remains one of Japan's largest licensed cryptocurrency exchanges.
Melcoin is a much newer company. It was established in 2021 as a subsidiary of Mercari, Japan's largest flea-market app operator. Mercari entered the cryptocurrency sector as part of its strategy to broaden financial services beyond online buying and selling.
Melcoin launched its cryptocurrency trading service in March 2023. A key feature was its integration with the Mercari app, allowing users to buy Bitcoin using proceeds from items sold on Mercari, making cryptocurrency investing accessible to people with little prior investment experience.
The service later expanded to include Ethereum and XRP, and has now increased its lineup to 15 cryptocurrencies through its partnership with Coincheck. By leveraging Mercari's large user base, Melcoin has focused on attracting first-time investors who may be unfamiliar with traditional cryptocurrency exchanges.
The partnership announced in 2026 combines Coincheck's experience as a major cryptocurrency exchange with Melcoin's access to millions of Mercari users, potentially accelerating cryptocurrency adoption among mainstream consumers in Japan.
Source: テレ東BIZ
