Shopping portal Rakuten has once again extended its most generous welcome offer to date. New members who join through a referral link by December 31 and spend at least $50 at eligible retailers within 90 days of signing up will pocket a one-time $50 bonus — and so will the person who referred them. It's a simple way to kick-start a points or cash-back balance, and for anyone saving towards flights or hotels, the timing is worth a look.
Rakuten works with hundreds of online retailers, from big names like Target and Nike to smaller brands. The idea is straightforward: instead of going straight to a store's website, you start at Rakuten, click through, and earn cash back on the purchase. Retailers pay Rakuten a commission for sending shoppers their way, and Rakuten shares a slice of that with you. The rewards stack on top of whatever your credit card already earns, so a single purchase can pay out twice. There's also a browser extension that pings you automatically when cash back is available, so you don't have to remember to check the portal first.
Here's the part frequent travellers should care about. Rakuten isn't limited to cash — you can switch your earning preference to American Express Membership Rewards points or Bilt points instead. TPG's October 2026 valuations put Amex points at around 2 cents each and Bilt points at 2.2 cents, which can beat flat cash back if you redeem well through transfer partners. One catch: the new-member bonus itself is paid in cash, not points, though you can link an Amex or Bilt account after joining. Referrers, on the other hand, can earn bonus points if their earning preference is set to Amex or Bilt when a friend signs up through their link.
A couple of fine-print points before you dive in. Shopping through Rakuten isn't always the top earning route — airline shopping portals sometimes run better rates, so it pays to compare with an aggregator. And check for card-linked offers before checking out: someone with a Chase Sapphire Reserve, for instance, can use the card's semi-annual $150 StubHub statement credit while also earning 2% back through Rakuten on the same purchase. Cards that earn at least 2% on everything — Capital One Venture and Venture X, Citi Double Cash, Blue Business Plus from Amex, or Chase Freedom Unlimited — pair nicely with the portal.
If you're already a member, the Refer & Earn button in your account generates a shareable link, though note the $50 referral bonus isn't guaranteed on every account. Either way, the offer expires at the end of the year, so if a welcome bonus was ever going to tempt you into the portal-shopping game, this is the window. Points earned here could quietly subsidise your next holiday booking. — The Points Guy
