In short
- DMM and FANZA ended their Mastercard contract in July 2022, and FANZA Doujin dropped Visa on June 14, 2024.
- DLsite suspended Visa and Mastercard on April 3, 2024 and American Express the next day. JCB is still its only card brand.
- Fantia lost Visa and Mastercard on May 21, 2024.
- Toranoana, Melonbooks, pictSPACE and Komiflo followed between August 2024 and January 2025.
- DLsite's newer payment options work only for buyers with Japanese bank accounts.
What happened, store by store
| Date | Store | What stopped |
|---|---|---|
| July 2022 | DMM / FANZA | Mastercard (exact day reported as the 20th or the 29th) |
| April 3-4, 2024 | DLsite | Visa and Mastercard, then American Express |
| May 21, 2024 | Fantia | Visa and Mastercard, including for Tora Coin |
| June 14, 2024 | FANZA Doujin and e-books | Visa |
| August 2024 | Toranoana mail order | Visa and Mastercard |
| December 19, 2024 | Melonbooks online | Visa and Mastercard |
| January 1, 2025 | pictSPACE (BL doujin) | Visa and Mastercard |
| January 24, 2025 | Komiflo | Visa |
DLsite's case had the clearest lead-up. According to Automaton, operator Eisys told creators about a week beforehand that it would replace or hide certain expressions at card companies' request, renaming the tag "rape" to "no consent" among others. Visa and Mastercard stopped at 18:00 JST on April 3, 2024, and American Express followed at 18:30 the next day. Fantia kept American Express, Diners, JCB, bank transfer and convenience-store payment after its cutoff. Toranoana added au PAY in October 2025 and says in its FAQ that Visa and Mastercard are not likely to return.
The free archive Manga Library Z went further: it lost all its payment contracts over adult content, closed on November 26, 2024, and reopened on April 25, 2025 after crowdfunding.
Why it happened
The card networks rarely explain. FANZA gave no reason for dropping Visa; Komiflo cited reasons outside its control
. The closest thing to an explanation came from Visa Japan's president, Cietan Kitney, who said at a December 2024 briefing, as reported by Automaton, that it is sometimes necessary to deny use to protect the brand
.
What it means for readers outside Japan
A reader with a Visa or Mastercard card cannot pay these stores with it. DLsite's workarounds do not change that: Minna no Ginko Payment, launched October 6, 2025, needs a Japanese bank account, and the viviON JCB Card launched in January 2026 is a Japanese card.
English-language licensed publishers sell adult manga and doujinshi with their own payment setups, though they have had processor trouble of their own (see FAKKU's processor termination). The licensed options are compared on hentai manga sites and where to buy doujinshi; artists affected on the selling side should read platforms for hentai artists. More stories are on the news page.
FAQ
Does DLsite accept Visa or Mastercard?
No. DLsite stopped both on April 3, 2024, and Automaton reports that JCB is still its only card brand.
When did Fantia stop Visa and Mastercard?
On May 21, 2024. Fantia kept American Express, Diners, JCB, bank transfer and convenience-store payment.
Why did Japanese adult stores lose card payments?
None of the card networks gave a public reason store by store. Visa Japan's president said declining some legal purchases is sometimes needed to protect the brand.