Runa announced the extension of its digital payout network into Japan on December 5, 2023, following its launch in Singapore. The company said the Japanese offering began with more than 20 local merchants, taking its international network to more than 2,500 payout options at that time.

The launch included conversion to and from Japanese yen within the platform. Runa said its Runa FX service supported real-time currency conversion 24 hours a day, allowing businesses to fund payouts across currencies without operating separate local processes.

Runa promoted the service around lower payout costs and a wider choice of locally relevant destinations for recipients. Its announcement did not provide a fee schedule or a numerical comparison with other payout methods, so those cost advantages remained the company’s stated proposition.

The company connected the expansion to demand for gift cards, prepaid cards and other stored-value products in Japan. It cited an estimate of $19.8 billion for Japan’s gift card market in 2022 and a forecast of $27.2 billion by 2027. The latter was a projection referenced at the 2023 launch.

The payout uses named in the announcement included gig economy payments, disbursements, rebates, loyalty rewards and crypto cashouts. Runa also invited businesses with gift cards or other payout products to seek distribution through its network.