Rakuten's Back in the Credit Card Game: Is the New Amex Worth It?
Published on October 16, 2025, 9:55 PM
Rakuten's launching a new credit card with American Express, issued by Imprint, after years of being out of the card scene. The no-annual-fee card offers a $100 bonus after spending $1,000 in the first 90 days. The main perk? You'll snag an extra 4% cashback on top of what you already earn shopping through Rakuten's platform (online or in-store), but this is capped at $7,000 spending per calendar year. After that, it drops to 1%. You also get an extra 5% on Rakuten Dining (totaling 10% cashback), 2% on groceries and restaurants, and 1% on everything else.
So, why should you care? If you're a Rakuten devotee, especially for dining, this card might be interesting. The ability to earn Membership Rewards points if you have your Rakuten cashback set to that option is a nice bonus. However, the $7,000 spending limit on the 4% cashback from Rakuten purchases is something to keep in mind. If you were hoping for a card to maximize all your Rakuten shopping without limits, this isn't it. It's probably only worthwhile if you're already heavily invested in the Rakuten ecosystem.
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