Points and miles collection in Japan for the non-Japanese.
WalkCoin: A Clean, Simple Walking App That Now Connects to Dot Gift
WalkCoin (アルコイン) is a simple, steady walking app that rewards users with coins for every 1,000 steps, plus daily bonuses and occasional missions. Ads are short and infrequent, making it smoother than many competitors. While WalkCoin doesn’t exchange points directly to Dot Money, users can redeem coins through Dot Gift and then credit them to their Dot Money account. Accumulation is slow, usually taking 3–5 weeks to reach redemption, but the app’s clean interface and predictable structure make it easy to use.
This is the seventh independent or third‑party walking app we’re featuring in the Points & Miles Japan article series. By now, you’ve seen how varied Japan’s walking‑reward ecosystem can be—some apps focus on movement, others on shopping, others on surveys or mini‑games. WalkCoin (アルコイン) sits somewhere in the middle: simple, steady, and refreshingly easy to use. And with its recent integration with Dot Gift, it has become far more relevant for anyone who wants to convert daily steps into points that can eventually be credited to Dot Money.
WalkCoin is built around a straightforward earning system. The primary way to earn coins is through walking. For every 1,000 steps, you earn 1 coin, up to a maximum of 10 coins per day. On top of that, the app gives a daily login bonus of 5 coins, which resets at 3:00 AM. This means the maximum a user can earn in a single day is 15 coins. Beyond walking, WalkCoin occasionally offers surveys, missions, lottery-style challenges, and mini‑games such as gachas or scratch cards. These typically award anywhere from 1 to 10 coins, depending on the activity. The app also runs a Weekly Challenge, where completing step‑based missions enters you into a draw that guarantees at least 1 coin, with the possibility of winning much larger amounts.
Ads are part of the WalkCoin experience, but they’re not overwhelming. To claim your walking coins, you usually need to watch a short video ad lasting 15–30 seconds. The same applies to gachas or bonus missions. However, unlike ad‑heavy apps such as Trima, WalkCoin does not require an ad for every single step segment—only when claiming rewards. This keeps the experience smoother and less intrusive.
A major update in 2024 added Dot Gift as a redemption option. Dot Gift is a point‑exchange service that acts as a bridge to Dot Money. While WalkCoin does not directly exchange coins to Dot Money, users can convert their WalkCoin coins into Dot Gift codes. These codes can then be redeemed on the Dot Gift website, which credits the equivalent value to the user’s registered Dot Money account. From there, Dot Money can be exchanged into a wide range of loyalty currencies—PayPay, d‑Point, Ponta, nanaco, Rakuten Points, and more. This two‑step process makes WalkCoin far more useful for anyone who wants to convert walking activity into airline miles or shopping points.
WalkCoin’s biggest advantages over other walking apps are its simplicity, low ad frequency, and steady earning structure. There are no complicated missions, no overwhelming pop‑ups, and no confusing menus. The app also has a clean interface, clear step tracking, and a predictable daily earning pattern. For users who prefer a calm, low‑maintenance app, WalkCoin is one of the easiest to stick with long‑term.
However, WalkCoin also has notable disadvantages. The biggest is the slow accumulation rate. With a maximum of 15 coins per day, it takes time to reach the minimum redemption threshold for Dot Gift, which is typically around 300 coins. Most users need 3–5 weeks of consistent walking to reach this level. The app also relies heavily on lottery-style bonuses, which means that while you’re guaranteed small rewards, the larger payouts are rare. Compared to apps that offer surveys, receipt uploads, or multi‑movement tracking, WalkCoin feels slower and more limited.
Setting up WalkCoin is simple. After downloading the app from the App Store or Google Play, you grant permission for step tracking through Apple Health or Google Fit. You can begin earning coins immediately without creating an account. However, to redeem coins, you’ll need to register using an email address or social login. Once registered, you can access the “Exchange” section, select Dot Gift, and follow the instructions to generate a Dot Gift code. You then paste this code into the Dot Gift website, which credits your Dot Money account. From there, you can convert your Dot Money balance into your preferred loyalty currency.
WalkCoin is best suited for users who want a simple, predictable walking app with minimal ads and a clean interface. It won’t deliver fast returns, but it’s easy to maintain and now offers a clear path to Dot Money through Dot Gift.