Earning Rewards with the Rakuten Card

Use your Rakuten American Express® Card to earn an extra 4% Cash Back on qualifying purchases made through Rakuten (both online and in-store), 10% Cash Back on eligible Rakuten Dining purchases (that’s an extra 5% on top of 5% Dining Cash Back), 2% Cash Back on eligible Grocery and Restaurant purchases, and 1% Cash Back on all other eligible purchases made everywhere else American Express is accepted.

For non-Rakuten purchases or Rakuten purchases that are excluded from Cash Back, use your Rakuten Card to earn 1% Cash Back.

Is there a limit to the amount of Cash Back I can earn with my Rakuten American Express Credit Card?

Yes, for Rakuten purchases you can earn 4% Cash Back on the first $7,000 of credit card spending each calendar year. Once you exceed this amount, you will continue to earn unlimited 1% Cash Back on additional Rakuten purchases.

Rakuten Dining spend does not count toward the $7,000 spending threshold.

Where can I check my Cash Back?

Track your Rakuten Card Rewards in your Rakuten account. You’ll see all of your Rakuten shopping and earning activity here.

You should see your Rakuten Card Rewards as pending in your Account, typically within 2 days after the transaction.

When will I get my Cash Back?

You’ll be paid for any confirmed Cash Back, bonuses and other rewards via the payment method you selected (check, PayPal or American Express Membership Rewards® points) every three months.

Want to start earning in points instead of Cash Back? If you have another qualifying American Express card that earns Membership Rewards points, you can switch your Rakuten payment method to Membership Rewards points and have your earnings transferred to your Membership Rewards account.

Pending Cash Back will remain in your account until it becomes confirmed. We’ll send your Cash Back every 3 months, according to the schedule below.

Rakuten Payment Dates:

• February 15
• May 15
• August 15
• November 15

You need minimum confirmed earnings of $5.01 Cash Back before the next payment date to get paid. Cash Back must be confirmed by the store before the payment date to be included in your payment. If your Cash Back Balance is $5.00 or less, it will carry over to the next payment date.

Want your Cash Back faster? Redeem your Cash Back for a gift card any time. Only available in the Rakuten App.

Note: Gift card redemption requires at least $5.00 in confirmed Cash Back and is subject to certain limits. Don't see this option? Check out our Gift Card FAQ for details.

How do I get my Cash Back?

There are three ways to receive your Cash Back payments:

1. PayPal: We transfer Cash Back to your PayPal account.
2. Check: Get your Cash Back in the mail.
3. American Express Membership Rewards® Points: We transfer your points to your Membership Rewards account.

If you have another qualifying American Express card that earns Membership Rewards points, you can switch your Rakuten payment method to Membership Rewards points and have your earnings transferred to your Membership Rewards account. If you already switched your payment method to Membership Rewards points, you will continue to earn in points.

You can also redeem your Cash Back for a gift card any time, only in the Rakuten App.

Why do I have a negative Cash Back balance?

If you returned all or part of a purchase after receiving your Cash Back payment, your confirmed or pending balance will be adjusted accordingly.

Why is there a negative Cash Back adjustment in my account?

If you returned all or part of a purchase, your Cash Back will be adjusted accordingly.

Will I earn American Express Membership Rewards® points on my Rakuten Card?

It’s possible to earn Membership Rewards points with your Rakuten Card. If you have another qualifying American Express card that earns Membership Rewards points, you can switch your Rakuten payment method to Membership Rewards points and have your earnings transferred to your Membership Rewards account.

If you already switched your payment method to Membership Rewards points, you will continue to earn in points.

Why didn't I earn extra Cash Back on my Rakuten purchase?

If you didn’t earn Cash Back and think you should have, or didn’t get the amount you expected, here are a few reasons why.

• Check if shopping trip was properly activated prior to making the purchase
• Make sure your purchase was not excluded from earning extra Cash Back on your Rakuten Card. Exclusions apply to Coupons Only stores, travel transactions other than direct airlines or pre-paid travel bookings, and purchases paid for via Buy Now Pay Later services.
• Have you reached the limit for this calendar year? You can earn 4% Cash Back on the first $7,000 of credit card spending each calendar year. Once you exceed this amount, you will continue to earn unlimited 1% Cash Back on all additional purchases.
• Make sure you and any authorized users are logged into the correct Rakuten account (it should be the account you used when you applied for the Rakuten Card).
• Make sure the item was not excluded from Cash Back: Some stores exclude certain items, categories or brands from earning Cash Back. These are called exclusions. You can always find exclusions by using the “See all Terms & Exclusions” link on the Cash Back activation page. (That’s the page we show you before bringing you to a store’s website). Tip: Be sure to check exclusions before you purchase to make sure you earn Cash Back!
• Check if the item category was eligible at the store you purchased from: Stores can also set different Cash Back rates depending on the item category. If you didn’t receive the Cash Back amount you expected, check to see if the store set a different rate for the item you purchased. This info can be found on the store page. Search for the store on rakuten.com and click the name on the left side of the results to visit the store page where you can see Cash Back Categories.
• Did you use a coupon code from another site? Using coupon codes that are not listed on Rakuten may void Cash Back. To be safe, stick to codes provided by Rakuten.
• Did you cancel your order? If you canceled your order, it’s no longer eligible for Cash Back.
• Did you make any returns? If you returned all or part of your order, the store will let us know and we will adjust your Cash Back accordingly.

Learn more

Why are my Card Rewards still pending?

Once we receive your purchase details, your Card Rewards will be pending. This waiting period exists in case of returns, exchanges, exclusions or other changes to your purchase. Rewards will be added to your confirmed balance and included in your next payment, unless we receive new information about your purchase.

For Rakuten purchases

Card Rewards for online and in-store purchases are usually confirmed within 3–14 weeks.

Card Rewards on dining will be confirmed within 20 to 25 days after you dine.

Card Rewards on travel are typically confirmed within 6–17 weeks after your booking is complete. Learn more about travel purchases with Rakuten.

For non-Rakuten purchases

Card Rewards on gas, groceries and restaurants are typically confirmed 1–2 days after your purchase.

Card Rewards on other categories are usually confirmed within 4 weeks after your purchase.