Japanese convenience store operator Lawson has officially launched its JPYC stablecoin payment pilot at its Gateway City store in Tokyo, marking what the company claims is Japan's first stablecoin payment trial connected directly to a point-of-sale system. The trial, which began in early August, represents the first case in Japan to verify payments by directly linking stablecoin transactions to convenience store checkout systems. According to latest reports, the pilot is in collaboration with digital asset wallet provider HashPort, with the company supporting the payment system and processing balance changes linked to purchases.
The payment process involves customers opening a supported mobile wallet and displaying a barcode on their smartphones, which Lawson employees will scan with the store's existing POS terminal. As reported by Nikkei, HashPort will then use the payment information to update the customer's JPYC balance, keeping the checkout within Lawson's current store system. The POS link allows Lawson to manage purchase details alongside its usual sales data, with the trial measuring system reliability and payment processing times. After the POS integration, purchase data such as product quantity and payment time can be directly entered into the store management system, enabling seamless integration with existing retail operations.
According to Nikkei, the trial differs from previous retail launches because it links the stablecoin payment directly with a major retailer's POS system. The report indicates that stablecoins may offer merchants lower fees than cards or QR services, though Lawson has not released fee figures for this pilot. The company will verify the system's stability and actual payment time to decide on a subsequent full rollout after checking system stability, transaction speed, and whether the process fits normal store operations without slowing customers or adding extra work for employees during busy periods. This case is expected to check whether stablecoin payments can be integrated into actual checkout systems in Japan's retail settings.
As reported by Nikkei, JPYC Inc. began issuing JPYC on October 27, 2025, tracking the Japanese yen and using yen deposits and Japanese government bonds as reserve assets. The stablecoin initially waived transaction fees and aimed to support payments under Japan's regulated framework. The trial follows preliminary tests including Jibou okonomiyaki restaurant chain conducting a test at two Osaka stores in April, and dental hospitals in Tokyo and Chiba scheduled to introduce JPYC payments in July. The background also includes KDDI's capital relationship with HashPort, as KDDI formed a capital and business tie-up with HashPort in October 2025 and secured more than 20 percent of its issued shares through a third-party allotment.
According to Token Terminal data, JPYC has demonstrated significant growth since its launch, with the token now having a market value of roughly $27 million across approximately 64,400 holders. This growth trajectory indicates increasing adoption of regulated stablecoins in Japan's retail sector. The trial signals that stablecoins in Japan are edging past finance and remittance into daily consumer spending, where scale could reshape the market. The development represents a key move to bring digital assets to everyday retail checkout, marking a significant milestone in Japan's stablecoin adoption journey.
