Accelerating Crossborder Business by Expanding into the US Market, #2 in Both Value and Number of Crossborder Transactions on Mercari
Mercari, Inc. (“Mercari”) is pleased to announce that it launched the Mercari Global App (“Global App”) in the United States on June 17, 2026 (US time). This launch marks the third region for the Global App, following Taiwan and Hong Kong, enabling users overseas to browse and purchase items from Mercari and Mercari Shops in Japan. The US market ranks at #2 in both value and number of transactions in Mercari’s crossborder business.1 Leveraging this growth, Mercari aims to accelerate its global expansion by launching the Global App to over 50 countries and regions by 2028, and to more than 100 markets over the mid-to-long term.
1. The total value and number of crossborder transactions on Mercari to the US from April 2025 to March 2026
Mercari’s crossborder transaction business initiatives
In order to realize the company’s founding mission to create value in a global marketplace where anyone can buy and sell, Mercari established its US subsidiary Mercari, Inc. (US) in January 2014, the year after its founding. In September of the same year, Mercari launched the US Mercari app focused on C2C transactions within the US, and has continued to take on the US market since.
Additionally, as a step toward further global expansion, in 2019 Mercari started a crossborder transaction business through collaboration with crossborder e-commerce operators.2 The GMV of this business has expanded more than 15x over the past three years, exceeding 90 billion yen annually.3
Mercari positions global expansion as a pillar of its medium-term management strategy and has been working to enhance the crossborder transaction experience. In September 2025, Mercari launched the Global App in Taiwan and Hong Kong, allowing overseas buyers and Japanese businesses to transact more easily, safely, and securely.4
Furthermore, Mercari is also focusing on expanding its lineup of listings to meet global demand, and in December 2025, it entered into a capital and business partnership agreement with Suruga-ya, a major Japanese entertainment and hobby company with extensive inventory.5 This partnership enables Mercari to offer one of the largest selections in the entertainment and hobby sector in Japan, along with a safe and secure transaction environment.
2. Marketplace App Mercari Begins Crossborder Sales to Over 100 Countries – Overseas Buyers Can Now Purchase Items Using Proxy Service (November 2019; available only in Japanese) https://about.mercari.com/press/news/articles/20191115_crossborder/
3. Mercari, Inc. FY2025.6 Q4 Financial Results Presentation Materials, page 36 https://pdf.irpocket.com/C4385/hGOm/QABk/Snp2.pdf
4. Mercari Expands to Taiwan With Crossborder Transactions (August 2024; available only in Japanese) https://about.mercari.com/press/news/articles/20240829_crossborder/
Mercari Expands to Hong Kong With Crossborder Transactions (May 2025) https://about.mercari.com/en/press/news/articles/20250507_crossborder/
Mercari Announces New Strategy for Crossborder Transaction Business Launch of the “Mercari Global App,” Accelerating Global Expansion by Providing a Stronger Crossborder E-Commerce Platform for Businesses (September 2025) https://about.mercari.com/en/press/news/articles/20250930_crossborder/
5. Mercari Concludes a Capital and Business Partnership Agreement with Suruga-ya (December 2025; available only in Japanese) https://about.mercari.com/press/news/articles/20251217_surugaya/
Background behind entering the US market through the Global App
According to a survey by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, purchases of Japanese products from the US reached approximately 1.6 trillion JPY in 2024, an 8.0% increase from the previous year, showing that the market size of crossborder e-commerce between Japan and the US is continuing to expand.6 Furthermore, the media and entertainment market in the US has grown to the largest in the world at over 90 trillion JPY7, and related markets are also expected to grow.8
In August 2024, Mercari launched a feature called Mercari x Japan, allowing consumers in the US to directly search for and purchase items from the Japanese version of Mercari on the US Mercari app.9 In recent years, the entertainment and hobby sector, particularly trading cards, has been growing steadily, and the US is an important market for Mercari’s crossborder transactions, ranking #2 in both value and number of transactions.
Additionally, due to the growing global popularity of Japanese culture, there has been an increasing demand among consumers in the US for authentic and rare products from Japan, especially for high-priced items where safe and secure delivery has become more important.10
By launching the Global App tailored to crossborder transactions in addition to the US Mercari app centered on C2C transactions within the US, Mercari aims to provide a user experience that better fits the needs of US consumers and further enhance user acquisition.
Additionally, in conjunction with this launch, the Mercari x Japan crossborder transaction functionality on the US Mercari app will now be integrated into the Global App.
6. “FY2024 E-Commerce Market Survey Report”, METI (available only in Japanese) https://www.meti.go.jp/press/2025/08/20250826005/20250826005-a.pdf
7. “Survey Results on the Size of the Media and Entertainment Market in Japan and the World and Overseas Sales of Japanese Content in 2024” (available only in Japanese) https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000000045.000007447.html
8. “Anime Merchandising Market Report, 2024”, Grand View Research. The market is projected to grow from approximately 10.8 billion USD in 2024 to approximately 18.7 billion USD in 2030.
9. Items Listed on Mercari Japan Can Now Be Purchased on Mercari US Through Crossborder Sales (August 2024; available only in Japanese) https://about.mercari.com/press/news/articles/20240802_mercarixjapan/
10. Results of US market research and user surveys conducted by Mercari
Overview of the Mercari Global App
With the Global App, buyers in the US can browse and purchase items from the Japanese services Mercari and Mercari Shops. The app removes the conventional challenges of crossborder transactions, such as language, payment, and complex processes, allowing users to enjoy shopping easily, safely, and securely, just like buyers in Japan.
Strengths in the US market
Strength #1: Direct access to a wealth of rare items from Japan
The Global App offers buyers direct access to authentic and rare Japanese products, which are in high demand among collectors in the US. In addition to items listed on Mercari, which boasts a cumulative total of 4 billion listings11, buyers can easily, safely, and securely shop for items from Suruga-ya, which has extensive inventory and expertise in authenticity verification.
Strength #2: Centralized management and a shipping protection service included with all purchases, enabling peace of mind at every step of the process
When purchasing high-priced items from overseas, buyers especially want to feel confident that their purchases will safely arrive at their door, seeking services such as package tracking and sturdy packing materials. The Global App provides a full inspection process, where Mercari checks all items before shipping, as well as package tracking features. The Global App also includes a free compensation service for damage or loss during transit for all items, ensuring robust coverage in case of accidents.
Strength #3: Cheaper than conventional crossborder purchases
Users of the Global App can buy items from Mercari in Japan without having to go through a third-party proxy crossborder service, reducing costs compared to buying items from Mercari in Japan through the US Mercari app.
Features updated since September 2025
– Introduction of a full inspection process, where Mercari checks all items before shipping
– An updated seamless UX where the entire process, from payment to package tracking, is completed in the app
Features planned for future implementation
Going forward, Mercari plans to introduce more features that enable safer and more secure crossborder transactions and promote transactions in entertainment and hobby categories.
– An optional authentication service where items purchased are authenticated by Mercari, and only items that pass authentication standards can be sent to buyers
– Auction feature, pre-order feature
– Features incorporating entertainment and gaming elements
11. Mercari Reaches 4 Billion Cumulative Listings (available only in Japanese) https://about.mercari.com/press/news/articles/20240911_4billion/
Campaign Overview
To celebrate the US launch of the Global App, we will be running a promotional campaign for users in the United States.
Campaign Period: June 18, 2026 – July 5, 2026
Offer: Users in the US will be eligible to use up to three coupons:
- 30% off your first purchase (maximum discount: $25)
- 25% off any purchase in the trading cards category (maximum discount: $20)
- 20% off any purchase sitewide (maximum discount: $15)
Through the launch of the Global App in the US, Mercari will continue to strive to achieve its company mission to create value in a global marketplace where anyone can buy & sell.