Lawson to trial JPYC stablecoin payments at Tokyo store

Lawson, Japan’s third‑largest convenience‑store chain, signed a basic agreement with KDDI and blockchain wallet provider HashPort on July 10 to conduct a pilot of yen‑denominated stablecoin JPYC payments. The test will take place in early August at Lawson’s Takanawa Gateway City store in Minato, Tokyo, linking the stablecoin directly to the existing point‑of‑sale (POS) system. Customers will use the non‑custodial HashPort Wallet app to display a barcode, which staff will scan with the regular checkout terminal; HashPort will update balances in real time.

The trial aims to assess transaction speed, system stability and any impact on store operations, with the goal of determining whether broader rollout is feasible. The initiative follows other Japanese firms—such as restaurants and dental clinics—experimenting with JPYC, and coincides with major banks preparing their own yen‑stablecoin services under FSA guidance.