They highlighted that stablecoins provide a wide range of benefits, including “reducing the burden of currency exchange for inbound tourists, further improving the efficiency of fund settlement and improving cash flow for traders.”
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 stablecoin initiatives in Japan following regulatory changes that have opened the market to wider adoption. Circle has said it will work with Nomura to develop a USDC-based currency settlement service for Japanese companies as early as 2027.
Lawson, one of Japan’s largest convenience store chains, will accept stablecoins in its stores as part of a pilot starting in August, according to a separate Nikkei report. The retailer plans to begin trials at its Lawson Takanawa Gateway City store in Tokyo with telecom operator KDDI and digital asset provider Hashport, using KDDI’s yen-denominated stablecoin, JPYC, the report said.
