Rakuten Rewards: Your Guide to Earning 5,000 Bonus Points

Rakuten is a leading shopping platform that provides cash back or credit card points on purchases from thousands of online retailers. This guide outlines the simple steps to create your account, select your preferred reward currency, and secure a valuable 5,000-point welcome bonus.

Step 1: Activate Your 5,000-Point Welcome Bonus

To qualify for the 5,000 bonus points, you must first create a new Rakuten account using a valid referral link. This bonus is equivalent to $50 in cash back or 5,000 points in your chosen reward currency. Once your account is created, you have a 90-day window to complete a qualifying purchase of $50 or more to receive the bonus.

Step 2: Choose Your Reward Currency — Amex or Bilt

Rakuten offers the flexibility to convert your cash back into high-value credit card points. You can choose to receive your rewards as either American Express Membership Rewards points or Bilt Rewards points.

Option A: Earning Amex Membership Rewards

Log in to your Rakuten account, go to Account Settings, find the section titled "How would you like to get paid?", and select "Switch to Membership Rewards® points". Follow the prompts to link your American Express account.

Option B: Earning Bilt Rewards Points

Earning Bilt Rewards points through Rakuten is an excellent strategy — and it does not require you to hold the Bilt credit card. The linking process is initiated through the Bilt app: go to the Rewards or Partnerships section, find the Rakuten option, and follow the instructions to connect your accounts. Once linked, your Rakuten earnings will automatically convert to Bilt points and deposit quarterly.

Step 3: Make Your Qualifying Purchase

To earn the 5,000-point welcome bonus, complete a total of $50 or more in qualifying purchases through the Rakuten portal within your first 90 days. Shop through the Rakuten website, app, or browser extension — it activates your cash back automatically.