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7 clusters · 22 sources · 37 days · First seen · Last updated

JPYC stablecoin adoption and DeFi expansion in Japan

Overview

In early July 2026, Lawson, Japan’s third-largest convenience-store chain, signed an agreement with KDDI and wallet provider HashPort to pilot yen-pegged stablecoin JPYC payments at its Takanawa Gateway City store in Tokyo. The test, scheduled for early August, links the digital token directly to the existing POS system, allowing customers to pay by scanning a barcode from the non-custodial HashPort app.

A week later, logistics firm AZ-COM Maruwa Holdings announced a payroll rollout that will pay roughly 2,300 subcontractor drivers with JPYC, backed by a ¥1 billion investment that effectively doubles the token’s supply. This initiative marks the first large-scale corporate use of a regulated stablecoin under Japan’s revised Payment Services Act.

On August 6, Lawson conducted Japan’s first stablecoin-payment trial on its existing POS terminals. Customers scanned a barcode displayed in the HashPort wallet, which the POS processed like a QR-code transaction without requiring hardware changes. Simultaneously, JPYC completed an extended Series B financing round, bringing total proceeds to approximately ¥6 billion ($38 million) with backing from AZ-COM Maruwa, Metaplanet Ventures, NCB Venture Capital, and Sumitomo Life.

By August 9, the on-chain circulation of JPYC exceeded 2 billion yen. As the asset expands from simple payments and remittances toward decentralized finance (DeFi), industry focus has shifted toward establishing liquidity pools—specifically a JPYC/USDC pair—to facilitate institutional trading, lending, and 24-hour on-chain yen-dollar markets.

By mid-August, JPYC circulation reached approximately 2.83 billion yen, driven in part by expansion onto the Kaia blockchain. Additionally, the stablecoin has entered the niche e-commerce sector via a specialized platform developed by mameta, which utilizes JPYC to offer gasless transactions and low merchant fees for various goods, ranging from agricultural products to digital content.

Entities

JPYC Inc. · Lawson · AZ-COM Maruwa Holdings · Metaplanet Ventures · mameta

Timeline

  1. 25 days ago

    [BUSINESS] 2 sources
    JPYC stablecoin circulation reaches 2.83 billion yen

    JPYC's yen-denominated stablecoin circulation has reached 2.83 billion yen, supported by multi-chain expansion, logistics partnerships, and retail payment trials at Lawson.

  2. about 1 month ago

    [BUSINESS] 4 sources
    JPYC circulation exceeds 2 billion yen, eyeing DeFi growth

    JPYC's on-chain circulation has surpassed 2 billion yen, driving efforts to build USD-linked liquidity for DeFi integration and on-chain yen-dollar trading.

  3. about 1 month ago

    [TECHNOLOGY] 2 sources
    Lawson tests JPYC stablecoin payments on existing POS terminals

    Lawson’s Tokyo store trialed JPYC stablecoin payments on its regular POS terminals, using HashPort and Canal Payment Service to enable seamless, gas‑less transactions without hardware changes.

  4. about 1 month ago

    [BUSINESS] 3 sources
    JPYC stablecoin raises $38 million in Series B extension

    JPYC secured 6 billion yen (~$38 M) in a Series B extension, with logistics firm AZ‑COM Maruwa investing 1 billion yen to use the stablecoin for payments to about 2,300 partners, supporting its expansion in JPN

  5. about 2 months ago

    [BUSINESS] 2 sources
    Japan's JPYC and SBI Boost Stablecoin Payment and Lending Services

    JPYC partners with AZ‑COM Maruwa to build a JPYC payment system, while SBI introduces JPYSC Lending with a 3% annual rate, expanding stablecoin use in Japan.

  6. about 2 months ago

    [BUSINESS] 9 sources
    Japan logistics giant AZ‑COM Maruwa launches JPYC stablecoin payroll for 2,300 carriers

    AZ‑COM Maruwa, a Japanese logistics giant, will pay 2,300 carriers using the regulated yen‑stablecoin JPYC, investing ¥1 billion and marking the first large‑scale corporate stablecoin rollout in Japan.

  7. 2 months ago

    [BUSINESS] 5 sources
    Lawson to trial JPYC stablecoin payments at Tokyo store

    Lawson will test JPYC stablecoin payments via HashPort’s wallet at its Tokyo store, linking the digital yen directly to the POS system to evaluate speed and feasibility.

Sources

ambcrypto.com · bitcoinethereumnews.com · cahighways.org · coindeskjapan.com · coinedition.com · criptotendencias.com · crypto-times.jp · crypto.news · cryptobreaking.com · cryptobriefing.com · cryptonomist.ch · cryptopolitan.com · dxmagazine.jp · en.coin-turk.com · europesays.com · eurweb.com · news.bitcoin.com · nft-media.net · spacemoney.com.br · tas.se · techbullion.com · tronweekly.com

This summary has been updated 3 times: see revision history