Stripe Partners With Mercari To Power Global Expansion of Japan’s Creative Industries

Stripe, the programmable financial services company, has been selected by Mercari, Inc., Japan’s largest consumer-to-consumer marketplace, to power its new “Mercari Global App.” By integrating Stripe, Mercari can offer users around the world a seamless shopping experience with multiple currencies, local payment methods, and consistently high authorization rates for cross-border transactions.

The Mercari Global App enables content and entertainment businesses in fields such as anime and gaming to set up stores quickly and sell directly to global fans. The rollout is beginning in Taiwan and Hong Kong, before expanding more widely. With Stripe, Mercari can offer localized payment options—from credit cards to popular digital wallets—in multiple currencies worldwide. Stripe’s infrastructure delivers high reliability and strong cross-border authorization rates, while its optimized checkout experience helps maintain conversion rates across markets. Security is built in through Stripe Radar, which uses AI to prevent fraud.

Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) has identified content industries including anime, manga, games, publishing, and music as a core growth sector, with a goal of reaching ¥20 trillion in overseas sales by 2033. Stripe is enabling Japanese businesses such as Mercari to drive this global expansion with fast, secure, and scalable infrastructure.

Mitsuru Hiraga, CEO of Stripe Japan, said: “Mercari has become one of Japan’s most important technology companies, and we’re excited to help power its next chapter of global growth. With Stripe, Mercari can reach customers everywhere with a seamless experience. We’re committed to giving Japanese companies, from marketplaces to the creative industries that are shaping culture worldwide, the infrastructure they need to expand internationally.”