Lawson, the third-largest convenience store chain in Japan, is set to pilot payments with the yen stablecoin JPYC at one of its Tokyo locations from early August. This initiative marks a significant step in integrating stablecoin technology into traditional retail environments.

The pilot program will take place at Lawson's Takanawa Gateway City outlet in the Minato Ward. According to a report from Nihon Keizai Shimbun, customers will be able to make payments by displaying a barcode from their smartphone wallets, which store clerks will scan at the point-of-sale (POS) terminal. This integration is touted as Japan's first instance of a stablecoin being directly connected to a POS system.

The collaboration involves KDDI, Japan's second-largest telecommunications company, and HashPort, a firm specializing in crypto wallet transactions. This partnership aims to evaluate the efficiency of the JPYC payment process and to gather data on transaction volumes, which could influence broader adoption across Lawson's extensive network of 14,697 stores.

Details About JPYC

JPYC was introduced in October 2025 as the first yen stablecoin to comply with regulations established by Japanese authorities in 2023. It maintains a 1:1 peg to the yen and operates on multiple blockchain platforms such as Avalanche, Ethereum, Polygon, and Kaia. Each JPYC token is fully backed by yen deposits and government bonds, as per Japan’s Payment Services Act.

Recently, the circulation of JPYC tokens surpassed 2 billion yen, approximately $12.36 million. While its market capitalization remains modest at around $16.28 million, the number of locations accepting JPYC has rapidly expanded. For instance, the popular okonomiyaki restaurant chain Chibo began accepting JPYC at some of its outlets back in April.

This pilot program could serve as a turning point for wider acceptance of stablecoins in offline retail settings in Japan, especially as JPYC continues to grow its footprint and strengthen its presence in markets such as South Korea.

This material is informational and not financial advice.