Lawson Pilots JPYC Stablecoin Payments at Tokyo Store in August

Lawson, one of Japan's three major convenience store chains, will pilot JPYC stablecoin payments at its Takanawa Gateway City store in Tokyo's Minato Ward in early August, according to the Nikkei. The pilot, powered by digital asset wallet provider Hashport, enables customers to pay for goods using smartphone electronic wallets scanned through existing point-of-sale terminals. The test represents Japan's first direct integration of stablecoin payments with a retail POS system, positioning yen-pegged digital currency closer to everyday commercial use as the country's financial sector and retailers explore broader stablecoin adoption.

Hashport Powers POS Integration for JPYC Payments

The pilot payment process resembles existing mobile payment flows. A customer displays a wallet barcode on a smartphone, and a store employee scans it through the point-of-sale terminal. Hashport then updates the user's stablecoin balance based on the payment information. Lawson stated this is the first experiment in Japan to link stablecoin payments directly with a POS system.

POS System Links Stablecoin Transactions to Store Operations

The pilot's significance lies in its connection with Lawson's existing store management infrastructure. By linking stablecoin payments to the POS system, Lawson can manage purchase data such as product quantity, payment timing, and transaction details within its current operations. The company plans to evaluate the stability of the POS integration and the time required to complete payments before deciding whether to expand the service more broadly.

JPYC Adoption Expands Across Japanese Retail and Banking Sectors

JPYC use cases are spreading in Japan. Chibo, an okonomiyaki restaurant operator, started accepting JPYC at some stores in April. Dental clinics in Tokyo are planning to introduce JPYC payments in partnership with Hashport. Japan's three largest banks — Mitsubishi UFJ Bank, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corp., and Mizuho Bank — are conducting stablecoin pilot tests with the Financial Services Agency. Citigroup projected that the global stablecoin market could grow from $282 billion last year to between $1.9 trillion and $4 trillion by 2030.

FAQ

What is Lawson testing at its Tokyo store in early August? Lawson will pilot JPYC stablecoin payments at its Takanawa Gateway City store in Tokyo's Minato Ward in early August. The test uses Hashport's digital wallet technology and integrates with existing point-of-sale terminals.

How does the JPYC payment process work at Lawson? A customer displays a wallet barcode on a smartphone, and a store employee scans it through the point-of-sale terminal. Hashport then updates the user's stablecoin balance based on the payment information. Lawson stated this is Japan's first stablecoin-POS integration pilot.