They highlighted that stablecoins bring a wide range of benefits, including “reducing the foreign exchange burden for inbound tourists, further improving the efficiency of fund settlement, and improving cash flow for merchants.”
Tourists in Japan primarily use bank cards for payments, but there are spending limits that can be circumvented with stablecoins, according to a Nikkei report.
The collaboration is part of a growing wave of stable initiatives in Japan following regulatory changes that have opened the market to wider adoption. Circle announced that it will partner with Nomura to develop a USDC-based foreign exchange settlement service for Japanese businesses as early as 2027.
Lawson, one of Japan’s largest convenience store chains, will accept stablecoins in its stores in a pilot project that will begin in August, according to another Nikkei report. The retailer plans to begin trials at its Lawson Takanawa Gateway City store in Tokyo with telecom operator KDDI and digital asset wallet provider Hashport, using KDDI’s yen-denominated stablecoin, JPYC, the report said.
