Rakuten Bank vs Mercury.
Rakuten Bank (R77/100) and Mercury (M70/100), scored on the same six pillars and compared row-by-row. Every cell is sourced from licence registers and live pricing pages, not opinion. Rakuten Bank leads Mercury 4-2.
| M Mercury №36 · FDIC 70 /100 | R Rakuten Bank №13 · JFSA 77 /100 | |
|---|---|---|
| Score | ||
| Composite score Out of 100 | 71 /100 | 77 /100 |
| Fees | ||
| Monthly fee Cheapest paid tier (€0 if free) | €0 Free tier | €0 Free tier |
| FX markup Debit card abroad | 1.00% | Interbank |
| Free FX / month EUR equivalent | €0 | €0 |
| Free ATM Before fee kicks in | — | — |
| Protection | ||
| Banking licence Tier | Partner-bank FDIC | Full bank JFSA |
| Deposit guarantee Per depositor | $250,000 US.FDIC | €10,000,000 JP.DICJ |
| Reach | ||
| Markets served Licensed jurisdictions | 1 country | 1 country |
| Crypto Coins available | No | No |
| Stocks & ETFs Self-directed | Yes | Yes |
| UX | ||
| Trustpilot Customer score | 4.4 ★ 1k reviews | — |
| App store iOS + Android avg | 4.6 ★ iOS 4.7 · And 4.5 | 4.3 ★ iOS 4.4 · And 4.2 |
| Read review → | Read review → | |
Pick Mercury if…
Pick if you run a US LLC or C-Corp and want $5M sweep FDIC coverage. Personal accounts not supported.
Pick Rakuten Bank if…
Largest Japanese internet-only bank by customer count (~14M+) and the only TSE Prime-listed pure-play net bank (TYO: 5838, IPO 21 April 2023 — the largest Japanese IPO in five years at the time). Originally chartered as eBank in 2001; acquired by Rakuten Group (TYO: 4755) in 2009. Structural moat is the Rakuten Points + Rakuten Card + Rakuten Securities + Rakuten Mobile + Rakuten Ichiba ecosystem — points cross-pollinate across the entire surface area. Full FSA Banking Act licence; statutory DICJ member at the JPY 10,000,000 ceiling.
- Best for fees Rakuten Bank won 1 of 4
- Best for protection Rakuten Bank won 2 of 2
- Best for reach Tied
- Best for ux Mercury won 2 of 2
Rakuten Bank vs Mercury — FAQ
Quick answers to the four questions the search-bar asks most about a head-to-head.
Is Mercury better than Rakuten Bank?
Under our v3 methodology, Rakuten Bank leads Mercury 4–2 across 12 dimensions. Composite scores: Mercury 70/100 vs Rakuten Bank 77/100. Rakuten Bank is stronger overall, but the right pick depends on which row matters most to you — fees, protection, reach, or app quality.
Is Mercury or Rakuten Bank cheaper?
Monthly fee — Mercury: €0; Rakuten Bank: €0. Card FX markup — Mercury: 1.00%; Rakuten Bank: Interbank. Rakuten Bank wins more fee rows (1 of 4). See the Fees section of the matrix above for ATM caps and the rest.
Which is safer for deposits, Mercury or Rakuten Bank?
Mercury holds a Partner-bank licence under FDIC; deposit guarantee per depositor: $250,000. Rakuten Bank holds a Full bank licence under JFSA; deposit guarantee per depositor: €10,000,000. Rakuten Bank is the stronger pick on regulatory protection.
Where can I use Mercury and Rakuten Bank?
Mercury operates in 1 country; Rakuten Bank operates in 1 country. Check each provider's signup page for the live country list — eligibility depends on residency, not just the licence footprint.
Want a 3- or 4-way comparison?
The dynamic compare picker handles up to four banks. Add this pair plus one or two more and we'll resolve every row.