Japanese tech giant Rakuten Wallet has announced the creation of the first physical Shiba Inu ($SHIB) coin of its kind. The project is the fifth release in the collectible “Real Coin” series and has already become an absolute hit in the company’s internal tests thanks to its unique tactile surface.
The new product is preparing to enter a market where the brand’s retail ecosystem reaches 44 million users.
The development comes amid a tectonic shift in legislation, as Japan’s parliament passed a package of historic amendments that definitively moves cryptocurrencies out of the gray zone and into a strictly regulated investment league.
The physical $SHIB coin is a metal souvenir with no technical connection to the blockchain. However, Rakuten approached its creation with distinctly Japanese perfectionism. Unlike previous releases in the series — Bitcoin, Ethereum, and XRP — the Shiba Inu coin is the first to use sandblasting technology, known as a blast finish.
The result is a premium matte texture and unique tactile properties that earned the souvenir 100% approval from the company’s employees during internal office testing. The company now plans to bring this “tactile hit” to live presentations and offline events, using it in large-scale merchandise giveaway campaigns.
How Japan’s historic law overhaul reshapes the crypto market
While marketers evaluate the aesthetics of the souvenirs, the company’s lawyers are studying the new strict rules of the game. The amendments passed by parliament today bring crypto assets under the Financial Instruments and Exchange Act. This means comprehensive oversight:
- Ban on insider trading: Any speculation based on leaked information, such as upcoming token listings, is now subject to criminal penalties.
- Transparency: Asset issuers must disclose information about themselves in the same way as traditional public companies.
- The end of illegal operators: Exchanges operating without registration risk massive fines and actual prison sentences.
- Foundation for ETFs: The law establishes the groundwork for spot crypto ETFs, although their launch will still require separate, specific regulatory approvals.
Why is an industry giant promoting $SHIB to 44 million users?
For Rakuten, $SHIB has long outgrown its status as an ordinary internet joke. In the spring, the exchange added support for the token, directly connecting it to the corporation’s massive ecosystem.
Millions of Japanese users can now convert their loyalty points, known as Rakuten Points, into $SHIB and spend them through the Rakuten Pay payment system at 5 million retail locations across the country.
Against the backdrop of market legalization and preparations for the launch of crypto ETFs, competition for retail customers in Japan has intensified.
A unique coin and giveaways involving millions of units are a classic marketing strategy for capturing an audience. Rakuten is seeking to establish itself as the country’s leading retail gateway before major investment funds are legally allowed to enter the market.