Japanese e-commerce giant Rakuten has become the latest firm to jump on the app and dongle-based mobile card acceptance bandwagon.
The Smartpay service, picked up by Tech in Asia, comprises a free iOS or Android app and a 2,890 yen card reader that plugs into the user's smartphone.
To make a payment, customers swipe their card through the merchant's reader and sign their name on the handset screen. Rakuten takes a 4.9% slice of transactions.
Earlier this year PayPal formed a JV with Softbank to bring its take on the mobile card reader, PayPal Here, to Japan.