Lawson Pilots JPYC Stablecoin Payments at Tokyo Store from August

Japanese convenience store chain Lawson is launching a pilot to accept stablecoin payments at its Takanawa Gateway City location in Tokyo from early August, according to a Monday report from Nikkei. The trial will allow customers to pay with JPYC, a yen-denominated stablecoin, as part of a proof-of-concept involving KDDI, Japan's second-largest telecommunications operator, and HashPort, a crypto wallet firm. JPYC launched last October as Japan's first registered yen stablecoin following local regulators' 2023 licensing requirements for stablecoin issuers.

Lawson Launches JPYC Stablecoin Payment Pilot in Tokyo

Lawson's Takanawa Gateway City location in Tokyo is set to start accepting payments in JPYC from early August. The pilot is part of a proof-of-concept trial involving KDDI and HashPort, a crypto wallet firm that supports JPYC transactions.

Lawson operates 14,697 stores in Japan and reported more than 3.02 trillion yen ($18.68 billion) in net sales in the fiscal year of 2026, according to its website. The company is recognized as Japan's third-largest convenience store chain, behind Seven-Eleven and FamilyMart.

JPYC Regulatory Status and Blockchain Infrastructure

JPYC launched last October as Japan's first registered yen stablecoin since local regulators imposed licensing requirements for issuers in 2023. Last week, JPYC announced that its onchain circulation has surpassed 2 billion yen ($12.36 million).

The stablecoin is designed to maintain a 1:1 peg to the Japanese yen and operates on blockchains including Avalanche, Ethereum, Polygon, and Kaia. JPYC Inc. backs all issued stablecoins with 100% reserves held in yen deposits and government bonds, in compliance with Japan's Payment Services Act.

JPYC recently joined Metaplanet and Progmat for a joint study on digital credit utilizing bitcoin, stablecoins, and security tokens.

FAQ

What is Lawson piloting with JPYC stablecoin? Lawson is launching a pilot at its Takanawa Gateway City location in Tokyo to accept payments in JPYC, a yen-denominated stablecoin, from early August. The trial is part of a proof-of-concept involving KDDI and HashPort.

What is JPYC and how is it regulated in Japan? JPYC launched last October as Japan's first registered yen stablecoin following local regulators' 2023 licensing requirements for issuers. It maintains a 1:1 peg to the Japanese yen, operates on multiple blockchains, and is backed by 100% reserves in yen deposits and government bonds under Japan's Payment Services Act. Its onchain circulation surpassed 2 billion yen last week.