JCB to Pilot USDC Payments at a Tokyo Store This Year

JCB has partnered with a Circle-affiliated company to test USDC payments at a Tokyo retail location popular with foreign tourists within this year, with plans to assess a broader rollout to additional franchise merchants. According to ChainCatcher, the pilot is intended to reduce the need for tourists to exchange currency and to lower payment processing fees. JCB has previously tested in-person stablecoin payments involving USDC and JPYC with firms including Digital Garage and Resona Holdings. The report also said Japan has recently accelerated merchant payment trials using stablecoins, including a plan by Lawson to test in-store settlement with JPYC in August.