Ahmet Bedirhan Arvas 
In June of this year, Mercari, Japan’s digital flea market platform, announced that it would allow users to make purchases with Bitcoin. Bitcoin payments will be processed by Melcoin, the company’s Tokyo-based blockchain subsidiary. Prices on Mercari will still be displayed in Japanese Yen, but users of the app will have the option to make payments with Bitcoin, the world’s largest cryptocurrency.
Melcoin will play an intermediary role, transferring Bitcoin to the seller in Japanese Yen and applying similar transaction fees as those in fiat currency sales. It is not yet certain whether users will be subject to the same fees.
In March 2023, Mercari launched its own Bitcoin exchange, allowing users to buy Bitcoin through the app with bank accounts, sales revenue, and free points earned from platform activities.
Founded in 2013, Mercari reported a profit of 2.8 billion Yen (19.4 million dollars) in the third quarter of 2023, according to its latest earnings report. In the same period of the previous year, it had reported a profit of 555 million Yen. The company generated 44.27 billion Yen in revenue during the same period, marking an 11.2% increase on a yearly basis.
The information provided does not indicate whether Mercari has responded to The Block’s additional comment request. As of the available information, there is no response from Mercari regarding The Block’s supplementary inquiry.