TOKYO (Reuters) - Japanese e-commerce firm Rakuten Inc has begun accepting payments in virtual currency Bitcoin on its U.S. 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 (NASDAQ:AMZN) and travel agency Expedia Inc (NASDAQ:EXPE), in accepting the currency.
Rakuten sites in Germany and Austria will follow suit, the company said in a statement announcing the U.S. 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.