Japan's Rakuten begins accepting Bitcoin on US e-commerce site

[TOKYO] Japanese e-commerce firm Rakuten has begun accepting payments in virtual currency Bitcoin on its US online shopping site, a spokeswoman said on Tuesday.

The move means Rakuten, seeking to expand overseas, is joining a growing number of online retail leaders, like Amazon.com Inc and travel agency Expedia Inc, in accepting the currency.

Rakuten sites in Germany and Austria will follow suit, the company said in a statement announcing the US launch.

The spokeswoman said no decision had been taken on whether Rakuten plans to accept Bitcoin on its Japanese e-commerce site, which accounts for the bulk of its profit.

REUTERS