Japanese convenience store chain Lawson will begin a pilot program in August to test the use of yen-denominated stablecoins for payments at its Tokyo Takanawa Gateway City branch. The initiative will examine whether stablecoin transactions can be seamlessly integrated into typical convenience store checkout processes.
Lawson partners with HashPort and KDDI for pilot
HashPort, a blockchain development company based in Japan, announced on Monday that it has entered into an agreement with Lawson and telecommunications giant KDDI to launch this pilot project. The collaboration aims to evaluate how stablecoin payments could be adopted within the country’s established retail infrastructure.
During the trial, customers will utilize HashPort’s non-custodial wallet to make payments. Meanwhile, Lawson will process these stablecoin transactions using its existing point-of-sale systems, removing the necessity for merchants or staff to operate or maintain crypto wallets directly.
This test environment is designed to shield store operators from many of the technological and operational complexities that are typically involved with digital asset acceptance in a retail context.
The partners intend to assess areas such as integration with current retail systems, payment processing speed, day-to-day checkout operations, and the overall usability of digital wallets before examining the potential for expansion to other locations or wider adoption.
Mini dictionary: HashPort is a Japanese blockchain company specializing in digital asset infrastructure and non-custodial wallet solutions for businesses and consumers in the country’s rapidly evolving crypto market.
Lawson’s partnership with HashPort and KDDI centers on making stablecoin payments accessible inside everyday retail settings, focusing on operational simplicity for merchants while using familiar checkout systems.
Netstars unveils Stablecoin Pay service for merchants
Separately, Japanese payment service provider Netstars has announced the commercial launch of Stablecoin Pay, a new application allowing merchants to accept multiple stablecoins as payment options. The service, which became available on Monday, initially supports USDC, USDT, and the yen-backed JPYC cryptocurrencies across the Solana and Polygon blockchain networks. Users can complete transactions by connecting to the service via the MetaMask wallet.
Netstars confirmed that merchants can use their existing payment terminals in most scenarios, with product pricing, sales records, and settlements all managed in yen regardless of whether customers pay in yen-pegged or US dollar-pegged stablecoins such as USDC or USDT. The service sets the merchant transaction fee at 0.98% and plans to broaden access by incorporating additional wallets and supported blockchains in the future.
| Feature | Lawson Pilot | Netstars Stablecoin Pay |
|---|---|---|
| Locations | Takanawa Gateway City (Tokyo) | Open to merchants nationwide |
| Supported Stablecoins | Yen-denominated only (pilot) | USDC, USDT, JPYC |
| Wallet Solution | HashPort non-custodial wallet | MetaMask |
| Blockchain Networks | Not disclosed | Solana, Polygon |
| Merchant Fee | Not disclosed | 0.98% |
Netstars previously piloted stablecoin payments with USDC at Tokyo’s Haneda Airport from January to February and at a trading-card store in Himeji in April. The shift from limited pilot tests to the launch of a full commercial service demonstrates the growing trend among Japanese companies to offer consumers new options for using digital assets in daily transactions.
Regulatory landscape and recent developments
Japan has been advancing its regulatory stance on stablecoins over the past year. On June 1, 2023, the country implemented amendments to the Payment Services Act and related regulations, introducing a dedicated legal framework for stablecoins. This legislation created specific categories for fiat-linked digital currencies and mandated that firms operating as intermediaries register with the Financial Services Agency (FSA), Japan’s primary financial regulator.
Following these reforms, Japan’s authorities approved the distribution of USDC in March 2025 and registered JPYC as a fund transfer service provider in August 2025, paving the way for the launch of the JPYC stablecoin in October of the same year.
Japanese regulators have taken steps to clarify rules around stablecoins and digital assets, promoting a regulated market that supports the growth of consumer-facing crypto payment solutions.
